tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28763646624185621782024-02-21T08:30:37.385-08:00Napoleon complex gamingA blog about wargaming, miniatures and military historyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-7212448673390354832017-10-17T13:02:00.000-07:002017-10-17T13:02:22.669-07:00Hail Caesar: The Battle of Hastings 1066<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The most anticipated gaming event of the year took place last weekend, when we gathered at a friend´s summer cottage to re-fight the battle of Hastings. I had been preparing miniatures all year, contributing over 300 of the roughly 700 miniatures involved. Several club members had built a custom, pro-level ridge specifically for the game, whilst our host Kalle had put together a great barbecue and heated the lake-side sauna. The perfect weekend was rounded out with some top quality single malt, cuban cigars and banter with the mates. This is wargaming at its best!</div>
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Anyway, on to the gaming part. Our scenario was a pretty straight-forward pitched battle using Hail Caesar rules. The Normans had a daunting task of attacking up-hill against the formidable Anglo-Saxon army - aiming not only to break the enemy, but also to kill the three Godwinson brothers who had usurped the English crown. Deployment can be seen in the diagram below. The full scenario, together with orders of battle can be found <a href="http://napoleon-complex-gaming.blogspot.fi/p/hastings-1066.html">here.</a>.</div>
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Prelude</h3>
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As the sun´s first golden rays crested the woods to the east, the Anglo-Saxon army was a bustle of excited action. Harold had reached Senlac Hill late in the evening together with his vanguard of huscarls and thegns. His elite warriors had taken up positions along a neck of land between two woods, where they had spent the night. All through the night detachment of the fyrd and stragglers had joined Harold´s army, which had grown to a formidable size. And then the enemy had been sighted.</div>
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The Norman army had crested the opposite hill just moments before and, with remarkable alacrity, started to form up ready for battle. "Blasted invaders!" -Harold thought to himself. He needed more time, for much of the Fyrd had yet to arrive. The Normans were eager for a fight, and Harold´s men knew it. Skins of ale were being passed around to bolster morale and many were anxiously fidgeting with their equipment. Some of the men started a raucous song whilst others were content to simply cheer or bang their shields. A few of the braver Normans rode out to throw their javelins or to issue a challenge, whilst a few of the more fool-hardy thegns broke ranks to meet them.</div>
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Whilst this show was taking place, the Norman army had marshalled itself into position. A Norman lord on a magnificent white destrier, whom Harold assumed to be his nemesis, strode in front of the invader´s ranks and held a short speech. Harold could not make out what was said, but the baying of the Normans told him that the speech had been a good one. The Anglo-Saxons started a cry of their own to echo the enemy and soon horn blowers on both sides joined in. With that, the Normans started their advance and the battle was under way.</div>
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Morning</h3>
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Accompanied by the cacophony of noise, but in good order, the Norman army advanced. In the fore were a scattering of archers and crossbowmen, who were followed closely behind by rank upon rank of spearmen supported by William´s best troops - his cavalry. At 150 paces the advance slowed down and at 100 paces it came to a halt. The Norman archers commenced their deadly work and released flight after flight of steel-tipped death upon the foe. This barrage lasted for no longer than 10-15 minutes, but for the defenders the hellish ordeal seemed an eternity. With few archers of their own, the Anglo-Saxons were forced to weather the storm cowering under their shields. The scared warriors could see little, but had to endure the terrible noises of death: the fluttering of volley after volley followed by the thumps and rattle of shafts striking shields and the screams of those that were hit. The centre of the Anglo-Saxon line bore the brunt of the barrage, but all-in-all the shooting did little damage.</div>
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William did not have the luxury (nor the ammunition) to stand back all day and let his archers do the dirty work. Besides, such a tactic might be seen as craven by some! The order was given for the infantry to advance. As the archers retreated to get more ammunition, the spearmen behind them pushed forward and started scaling the hill. Unfortunately, the assault did not proceed in as concerted a manner as William had hoped. Both flanks dithered: the Bretons on the left being thrown into some confusion by Anglo-Saxon skirmishers on their flank, whilst the Flemish on the right seemed to have brought larger reserves of arrows and thus continued to fire even as they should have been advancing. </div>
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As the spearmen approached to within 20 paces, the Anglo-Saxons finally got a chance to retaliate. A torrent of spears and rocks pelted the Normans, who advanced into contact with the enemy centre. The clash proved brutal, with both sides taking heavy casualties. A few Norman units were thrown back in disarray, but the bulk refused to yield their toe-hold on the ridge. The dead and dying lay in heaps, trampled under foot with no way to get out. The dew-wet grass was becoming slick with blood, and warriors that slipped did not get up again.<br />
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Despite fighting up-hill, William´s men were slowly gaining the upper hand. Foot by foot the Anglo-Saxon shield wall fell back until suddenly, a breaking point was reached. What had started with a few slinkers and supposedly wounded warriors leaving the back ranks turned into a full rout in the blink of an eye. Seeing the thegns to their front fleeing was too much for the levy behind them, which joined their superiors in abandoning the field. The Anglo-Saxon line had been breached!<br />
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Harold was quick to react to the crisis however, and sent in half of his huscarl reserve. The worst was averted, the breach was closed. Exhausted by the effort, the Normans did not press their advantage and were content to reform and rotate the units. Fresh infantry was brought forward.<br />
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The lull was only momentary, and soon the lines clashed for a second time. The Anglo-Saxon centre buckled again, but this time it did not break. The battle ebbed and flowed on the crest for some time but, together with the rising sun, Harold´s men found their courage. Soon it was the Norman´s turn to retreat, tripping over the dead from the first engagement. The exertion and horrors proved too much as first one and then a second unit of Normans discarded their weapons and fled the field. Other units retreated in good order and some even managed to cling onto the ridge. The jubilant Anglo-Saxons did not pursue down the hill, where William´s knight and archers waited. Re-supplied, the archers resumed their deadly trade, raining death on the tired defenders while the infantry rallied behind them. For the moment, the centre had come to a stand-still.<br />
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At the same time as the centre clashed for a second time, the Norman flanks finally managed to close with the enemy. Late to the fight, these flanks tried to make up for their tardiness with ferociousness. Where the centre had come into contact with a measured advance, the Flemish spearmen on the right hurled themselves at the enemy. This was a fight worthy of the bards, had they not all been killed in that epic clash. Many men fell on both sides but in the end, the Flemish were thrown back in disarray just like the Normans in the centre. The silver lining was that the jubilant defenders were not much better for wear.<br />
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Meanwhile on the left, the Bretons tried something different. Count Brian, commander of the Bretons, decided to commit his cavalry early on and assaulted the ridge with a mixed force of infantry and knights. The tactic proved better than that employed by the Flemish, but with pig-headed stupidity the stubborn defenders endured. Expecting to cut through the enemy like a knife goes through butter or a lance goes through a peasant, the Breton knights were horrified at the resolve of the enemy. Victory turned into ignominious defeat as the two elite knight units routed (as it was, this happened while their commander - our host - was away heating the sauna)! This set-back forced William to commit two thirds of his cavalry reserve to the left flank to aid the Bretons.<br />
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<h3>
Afternoon</h3>
The Norman attack had been repulsed on all sectors, but William was far from beaten. Although dilatory combat continued on both flanks, the Normans spent the early hours of the afternoon regrouping their spent forces and peppering the Anglo-Saxons (who were also regrouping) with arrows and crossbow bolts. At the same time, William was marshalling his cavalry in preparation for a renewed offensive.<br />
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The majestic call of ten silver clarions pierced the air, signalling to all that it had come time to settle the matter once and for all. The thunder of hooves drowned out all other sounds save for those ten angelic horns, and with that the heart of each and every Saxon was gripped by fear.<br />
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And right they were to fear the cavalrymen! Half a lifetime and generations of upbringing had gone into moulding these knights into the ultimate tool of war. This fusion of steel and sinew directed by a single, steady hand and keen warrior-instinct, was a power that could move mountains. These were the angels of retribution who would chastise Harold and his minions for usurping the crown.<br />
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Like a thunderbolt the formidable knights struck. All along the line the steel-clad angels of death clove into the enemy. One by one the Anglo-Saxon units crumpled up like rotten apples under the horses´ steely hooves. A second, larger breach had been made in the centre of Harold´s line whilst the Bretons on the left had started to turn the enemy´s flank. Victory was at hand, and the only thing slowing the knights down were the heaps of dead that the horses had to scale to get at the recoiling enemy. It was glorious!<br />
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Yet, fortune is fickle. We decided to take a break and head for the sauna. Half a bottle and a very fine cigar later we were back, and suddenly the situation didn´t look so rosy any more. True, the Anglo-Saxons were all but routed, but the Normans weren´t much better for wear. For some reason a lot of "shaken" and "disordered" markers had cropped around the victorious Normans - and it was the Anglo-Saxon´s turn (again?). During the interval, Harold had cooled his nerves by taking a dip<br />
in the almost freezing lake outside. Gone was the fear. Gone was the hesitation. Gone was the Normans´ great moment.<br />
<br />
The usurper committed his final reserve - the last of the huscarls. Promptly these stalwart warriors charged the exhausted knights and hewed them down with their great axes. Like the curtains closing at the end of some sick Greek tragedy full of incest and death, William saw the breach in the Anglo-Saxon line shut. Only the court jester stood to clap as everything William had fought so hard to accomplish was snatched from him. With a cry of rage, the mighty warrior charged the enemy with what knights he had remaining - his closest companions. The Anglo-Saxon army was near breaking point, and perhaps one last charge would tip the scales.<br />
<br />
The enemy were near. 60 paces ... 50 ... 40... William could hear the panting of his destrier, could feel its flanks heaving and the rhythmic beat of its hooves ... 30 ... 20 ... he could feel his heart racing, hear his hoarse cry as if coming from afar ... 10 ... this was it ... 0.<br />
<br />
With a horrendous crash the Norman lord and his men slammed into the enemy. William´s right shoulder jolted backwards as his lance struck a large man square in the chest. Splinters were everywhere and instinctively he dropped what remained of his lance and went for his sword. Something struck William´s shield. The warlord instinctively directed his mount left and forward. The weight of the horse drove the assailant backwards and a low jab was enough to slay the stunned man.<br />
<br />
The triumphant moment was short-lived, however, for suddenly the destrier let out a horrible scream and reared backwards. The Norman hero gripped the rains tighter and leaned forward but there was little he could do. Down went man and beast. The horse, which had been struck by one of the large dane-axes, came crashing down on William´s leg and hip, and a searing pain told him that something had broken. "This is it" - he thought, as two of the Saxon barbarians closed in with axes ready.<br />
<br />
Yet it was not the end. Seeing their lord felled, Raymond fitzOsbern and several squires raced to the rescue. The Normans pushed the huscarls back with the weight of their horses, while several others hefted the mangled destrier off William and helped the lord onto Raymond´s horse. William struggled to stay conscious as he was led backwards. On the ground lay the dead, so many dead, and from somewhere far away he could hear a clarion. "We must attack!" - was his final thought, as darkness overwhelmed him.<br />
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<h3>
Epilogue</h3>
Two weeks had passed since Harold´s great victory, yet Osbreth had little to celebrate. He had been forced to quarter some of the victorious soldiers at his farm ever since, as Harold kept his army mobilized in case of future attacks. Rumour had it that that frog-eating bastard William was alive and that he had been ferried across the sea a few days after the battle. Many of the enemy ships had certainly departed, though some still remained to garrison the motte at Hastings. Whatever the case, the jubilant soldiers were intolerable "guests" - eating up the winter stores, abusing the womenfolk and wrecking places.<br />
<br />
While the soldiers spent the time drinking and enjoying the comforts of his home, Osbreth and other peasants were forced to dig graves and bury the dead. The soldiers originally tasked with this had been content to bury their own, after which the peasants had been put to work. There was not even anything left to loot on the now bloated corpses, after Harold´s jubilant men had picked the dead and dying clean. With a sigh, Osbreth hoisted another poor soul into the mass grave. From the corner of his eye, he caught something glimmer amongst the bundle of foetid flesh and bones below. The ragged man scrambled to the bottom of the pit and inspected the corpse which had opened up with the fall. There were five silver coins within the dead man´s belly. The wounded man must have swallowed them before his death in the hopes of keeping them from looters. Osbreth smiled, perhaps this would be a good day after all.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-70206237797719929642017-05-29T20:32:00.000-07:002017-05-29T20:48:43.581-07:00Swordpoint - first impressions<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNufHphBpZp35oAUk3dzRK2eiWev8hm4RS5eL63BQXsKfrTNo-MuqcfCCS7fkNzND4Qge122xmTCdP3KZy9paOg0jlw6j6uNkkbjNL8bcdmSEQg7GcI0lyBQuUMfD5HP2JLwZgTWS_9Ic/s1600/IMG_6455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNufHphBpZp35oAUk3dzRK2eiWev8hm4RS5eL63BQXsKfrTNo-MuqcfCCS7fkNzND4Qge122xmTCdP3KZy9paOg0jlw6j6uNkkbjNL8bcdmSEQg7GcI0lyBQuUMfD5HP2JLwZgTWS_9Ic/s320/IMG_6455.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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After months of eager anticipation, I had a chance to try out the new Swordpoint rule set this weekend at Kublacon. I will now present a brief report of the two games I played accompanied by my evaluation of the rules system.</div>
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The basics</h3>
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Swordpoint aims to recreate mass-battles with 28mm armies of some 150-250 miniatures, so requires a substantial investment from starting gamers. Models are multi-based (most infantry being 4 models to a 40x40mm base and cavalry being 2 models to a 50x50mm base), with usually around 6 bases forming a unit. The game is essentially a new version of Warhammer Ancient Battles, with some important alterations. Most importantly, the players´ turns are somewhat intermingled with both sides shooting simultaneously followed by movement, where the player with the initiative (diced off each turn) gets to do each sub-phase first. The players get momentum tokens based on how well their units perform, which can be used to increase chances of winning a combat or to gain the initiative. The third difference is that units adjacent to each other in a "line of battle" support each other, aiming to reflect the ebb and flow of linear hand-to-hand battles.</div>
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The first game</h3>
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My first game was a straightforward pitched battle pitting my <a href="http://napoleon-complex-gaming.blogspot.fi/2017/05/anglo-saxon-army.html">newly painted Anglo-Danes</a> against a Byzantine host. We concluded that there had been a "labour dispute" between the Basileus and his Varangian guard. </div>
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As can be seen from the picture below, I deployed my all-infantry force in a solid line, anchored on a forest on my right (occupied by archers and Viking mercenaries in open order) and stretching almost to the table edge on the left. In front of my position was a large hill that I intended to occupy. The Byzantine host had a large infantry force facing off against this hill, with heavy cavalry on their right (my left), archers in the centre and light cavalry with bows on their far left (against the wood on my right).</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deployment: Anglo-Danes on the left, Byzantines on the right</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anglo-Danish battle line in shieldwall formation</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFF3OdYgkLu0mcUIbBl0AgqLcvF-nqOhV_hIZxs-FJYD1-XBVuSvyVTRvkTBsoJxrEYD0VLJ__gOuo3v5417F9rjLO3rC0BcBB3e-P0aVIuiLY7VmvzN0Ro2jcKj4MwsW9pCLUJFSJM52/s1600/IMG_7009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFF3OdYgkLu0mcUIbBl0AgqLcvF-nqOhV_hIZxs-FJYD1-XBVuSvyVTRvkTBsoJxrEYD0VLJ__gOuo3v5417F9rjLO3rC0BcBB3e-P0aVIuiLY7VmvzN0Ro2jcKj4MwsW9pCLUJFSJM52/s320/IMG_7009.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Byzantine light cavalry formed their left flank</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Byzantine centre was composed of heavy infantry intermingled with archers</td></tr>
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The battle begun with both sides advancing steadily forward. I was a bit too cautious and advanced very slowly, keeping my men in a shield wall formation (half movement, -1 for the enemy to hit me). I soon became worried about the heavy cavalry threatening my left flank, which was protected by skirmishers and my worst troops (two units of Fyrd). My skirmishers were rapidly routed and I aimed to delay the combat on the left and cover my centre, whilst my centre would have time to crush the Byzantine centre. My right wing fought off the Byzantine skirmishers whilst my centre charged the Byzantine infantry.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5KN4oDRjm_NIoDEkekHut-PAAu92T0pZ1wvEj-is1ztewb6SwsumKok9Kex1-t1zF33bO-emwEkFn7mOoiuiMLbmx2a1TggdpNi-AMP-8Eu-gxxy79wDRc-45jrMpHAKNdamTlObSoP2/s1600/IMG_7011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5KN4oDRjm_NIoDEkekHut-PAAu92T0pZ1wvEj-is1ztewb6SwsumKok9Kex1-t1zF33bO-emwEkFn7mOoiuiMLbmx2a1TggdpNi-AMP-8Eu-gxxy79wDRc-45jrMpHAKNdamTlObSoP2/s320/IMG_7011.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Both sides advance, with Byzantine heavy cavalry attempting a breakthrough on the Anglo-Danish left</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQgCUyR2Ar9HpF2jYYyD7lz5g9R-cirgYSIeIWtRjpOLksVp0dmpmIkyn8jycxhSMYbXDpJZbls9NJB8wtbAY1E79EOvYeP8UMHIGM9JMK1SsHZt_dm9vcQ9b6wp7cy0O-oFQM4U2HL3T/s1600/IMG_7012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQgCUyR2Ar9HpF2jYYyD7lz5g9R-cirgYSIeIWtRjpOLksVp0dmpmIkyn8jycxhSMYbXDpJZbls9NJB8wtbAY1E79EOvYeP8UMHIGM9JMK1SsHZt_dm9vcQ9b6wp7cy0O-oFQM4U2HL3T/s320/IMG_7012.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Furious combat erupts in the centre</td></tr>
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On my left the Byzantine heavy cavalry charged my Fyrd, who held. After several turns one of my two units broke, whilst the other managed to beat off the enemy cavalry with the help of a third Anglo-Danish unit that raced to the rescue. In the centre, the fight between the infantry hosts developed into a long grinding match, where I was steadily gaining an advantage. As we were running out of playing time we decided to call it quits at this point. Since my left flank held and I was slowly winning the fight in the middle, my opponent conceded the game to me (although victory was by no means certain at this point).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiFwK42fZ7qutP-PBRZUSixx30Ce5gp0X7u7CG7b9zGH885laKS3UHJ-CEOcvAwGPNiU8kVV7lFaJyyXk6HDkhXs3nV9BHCmZYvM3LBnDNVuXtieK_BhjITKRU9l2tkEB8Kxjn5T-crN1/s1600/IMG_7013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiFwK42fZ7qutP-PBRZUSixx30Ce5gp0X7u7CG7b9zGH885laKS3UHJ-CEOcvAwGPNiU8kVV7lFaJyyXk6HDkhXs3nV9BHCmZYvM3LBnDNVuXtieK_BhjITKRU9l2tkEB8Kxjn5T-crN1/s320/IMG_7013.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two units of Fyrd protect the left flank against Byzantine heavy cavalry</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnQP9xVvtcQySpJ5b9rfqmuY5kFkBDYxB90Mo8ptFLxarHMhMaJ2YRkPhxYGic3VFzuXn0noTonNhDUtaJ3AaTBG-9FAknMVzCgojBLgoP8Bkt03AnIOzWkPcsjsHBcER__wPxEVWBQ1-/s1600/IMG_7014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnQP9xVvtcQySpJ5b9rfqmuY5kFkBDYxB90Mo8ptFLxarHMhMaJ2YRkPhxYGic3VFzuXn0noTonNhDUtaJ3AaTBG-9FAknMVzCgojBLgoP8Bkt03AnIOzWkPcsjsHBcER__wPxEVWBQ1-/s320/IMG_7014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<h3>
The second game</h3>
My second game was a historical match-up against Norman invaders. We fought on the same table, with my force occupying pretty much the same positions as in the first game. The Normans placed two units of knights and crossbowmen in the centre, but the bulk of their force (infantry, more knights, light cavalry and two units of archers) on their left (my right) across from the forest.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtBeXP4VVooUsPJ-bP-rUctkL0Cg_f-pPr3udOAWka0HRbBp93Po9hnuU-7NvI15_Kohp_qMqRPkXZx7mIOpEQU3zln3AFDAyF3NRbDLC3vNNqaEAvRvycmBfaglh-CMo-4qEDUo-OCUe/s1600/IMG_7015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtBeXP4VVooUsPJ-bP-rUctkL0Cg_f-pPr3udOAWka0HRbBp93Po9hnuU-7NvI15_Kohp_qMqRPkXZx7mIOpEQU3zln3AFDAyF3NRbDLC3vNNqaEAvRvycmBfaglh-CMo-4qEDUo-OCUe/s320/IMG_7015.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anglo-Danes on the left, Normans on the right</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNzU19NKR07zaUv0_aNAJZymH8CvIJ0gY7kFBFh7k_DX06huiWBKb0AoCzwlJ99PKHbdIRuE1izFImiwkYaWXbiw8cSOdWVaFfcU0rxp4u23tWuzGXqhYwTYIgW-4g-OLCK4AWowWIqKb/s1600/IMG_7016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNzU19NKR07zaUv0_aNAJZymH8CvIJ0gY7kFBFh7k_DX06huiWBKb0AoCzwlJ99PKHbdIRuE1izFImiwkYaWXbiw8cSOdWVaFfcU0rxp4u23tWuzGXqhYwTYIgW-4g-OLCK4AWowWIqKb/s320/IMG_7016.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norman knights</td></tr>
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I started the game in the same way as the first one, advancing my whole line forward - albeit more boldly than the last time round. The Normans hung back at maximum archery range, while their cavalry started outflanking me on both sides. The forest position was pretty secure and my only threat here were the javelin-armed light cavalry, but I was taken aback by the speed and manoeuvrability of the knights, who quickly redeployed to my extreme left to threaten that flank.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGuFFTgzv_MiUy_Y0oSMWAmdKWYskWq6lBIQIfpBaPIhwkBccBUSGxWPaZSlHzmf4gBt_QBn_0KZdd_enXs9EttjAw16ruYZdDAZt_6JeXquzk_BmMFzziPLMMAw7nFSxFqzpQaMW2l-Cr/s1600/IMG_7017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGuFFTgzv_MiUy_Y0oSMWAmdKWYskWq6lBIQIfpBaPIhwkBccBUSGxWPaZSlHzmf4gBt_QBn_0KZdd_enXs9EttjAw16ruYZdDAZt_6JeXquzk_BmMFzziPLMMAw7nFSxFqzpQaMW2l-Cr/s320/IMG_7017.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anglo-Danes advance along the whole line whilst Norman cavalry threaten both flanks</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQAPwXs6A6iU1ZiowjTV_s8K6ByzlwUfGEJFX0hd5IZFvnzMDrmGaX_oy9jlbLRld-X4FlJAZg4DlxVK5K3tTGdGIUbKJSBRfwGo4QuPE2RVOXAZux_Zf6Da-2iVmcaIXbYqzgkZ5-3pIc/s1600/IMG_7018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQAPwXs6A6iU1ZiowjTV_s8K6ByzlwUfGEJFX0hd5IZFvnzMDrmGaX_oy9jlbLRld-X4FlJAZg4DlxVK5K3tTGdGIUbKJSBRfwGo4QuPE2RVOXAZux_Zf6Da-2iVmcaIXbYqzgkZ5-3pIc/s320/IMG_7018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shieldwall!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguETNrpDE8aXYCPhUOKlI09v4tknNpYgRHKHypSYXJOrHyl3-KxFls3tDbG-hd4S08UwVCX5LOab7I7hzkyaJUzekNFzPNdDaufxXed7dEtKJCFm1m3WpeG-jE6WF4BfmHUGhbi1Ddy7DG/s1600/IMG_7019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguETNrpDE8aXYCPhUOKlI09v4tknNpYgRHKHypSYXJOrHyl3-KxFls3tDbG-hd4S08UwVCX5LOab7I7hzkyaJUzekNFzPNdDaufxXed7dEtKJCFm1m3WpeG-jE6WF4BfmHUGhbi1Ddy7DG/s320/IMG_7019.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The left flank moments before knights overwhelm my slingers</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-sjZcjsuCXZ9rQw6UP8NbKQjYVKH3rXQUTd5f8gshHZHT_gGbprfK9OWgnh6hHleycil7QqBMDHV5k2-PHA-Dvd3NMfFqYzuf8IKzJ_7IiQ8I7OZOMTpBz9Zedv8ezwWZ7ePvbf73tNoK/s1600/IMG_7020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-sjZcjsuCXZ9rQw6UP8NbKQjYVKH3rXQUTd5f8gshHZHT_gGbprfK9OWgnh6hHleycil7QqBMDHV5k2-PHA-Dvd3NMfFqYzuf8IKzJ_7IiQ8I7OZOMTpBz9Zedv8ezwWZ7ePvbf73tNoK/s320/IMG_7020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I scored a quick success by chasing off the dangerous Norman crossbowmen in the centre with my own javelin-armed skirmishers. Otherwise archery was ineffective on both sides and pretty quickly, the slingers I had placed on my left were run down by Norman knights. The knights were left exposed to a rear charge from my Fyrd, who came close to breaking the Normans before more cavalry came to the rescue and scattered the impudent peasants. It was a good try, which at least had bought me some time on the left flank.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxFSzRVoF6H3-hf4kM8GMqEqBIToJGqvuvFIhgqBJNIxPRZlmWo46fhRvygRurzKewka_chQyoIYKwhxaxLpAhAnm2jT7Tm1M1WcoH3TXgSnsN49Jo3hs6oAeBUuTNmrQHspv26_-fMhMm/s1600/IMG_7021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxFSzRVoF6H3-hf4kM8GMqEqBIToJGqvuvFIhgqBJNIxPRZlmWo46fhRvygRurzKewka_chQyoIYKwhxaxLpAhAnm2jT7Tm1M1WcoH3TXgSnsN49Jo3hs6oAeBUuTNmrQHspv26_-fMhMm/s320/IMG_7021.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A daring rear-charge by the Fyrd is quickly chastised by more knights</td></tr>
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The bulk of my army continued advancing on the enemy infantry on the right, but with very mobile knights threatening my left, my formation became a very awkward wedge. In Swordpoint (as in WAB) it is very difficult to advance other than straight forward with formed infantry. Maintaining a shieldwall formation whilst moving sideways made these manoeuvres even more cumbersome. The game turned into a slowly unfolding game of cat and mouse, with my left wing trying to wheel backwards to buy time for my right wing to overwhelm the Norman infantry. Both detachments had to advance slowly in order for them to protect each other and not be outflanked. Pressed for time, the Normans decided to try to force the issue and attempt to win the game with a frontal assault against my left wing. The knights thundered forward against my shieldwall, only to be cut down by my elite Huscarls wielding two-handed axes. With the cavalry bloodied, my right wing about to charge the Norman infantry and time running out, we decided to call it a game with the Anglo-Danes victorious.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi367T4Qsb-pJYLfUuRsaMdGPz6ccmXImKd1dP6omoCMFMukUCnqLkvVoW_J_ta0Sq-bB7e8nXJf_DVScoLxnMoZTLhHxYWJZg2J7n10XTpilzIn9Z39a2O0ZwrzW0i7utAiFIoFtxi0DEq/s1600/IMG_7022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi367T4Qsb-pJYLfUuRsaMdGPz6ccmXImKd1dP6omoCMFMukUCnqLkvVoW_J_ta0Sq-bB7e8nXJf_DVScoLxnMoZTLhHxYWJZg2J7n10XTpilzIn9Z39a2O0ZwrzW0i7utAiFIoFtxi0DEq/s320/IMG_7022.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Situation mid-game: the Anglo-Danish army start forming a "V" to protect its flank</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumzJTRpVS2RD2k_6YNebsj1c9Xn-ZoZWqeB-4qo8zFh3Wsab-7bwdfjlUlvKrnHzrRK0slWhdJFRKrI5eFBRtiCROTt6uqQef4KIs-Pa6NfmzY5Hth7II3djk39jlgsARAEmF-MOogyTI/s1600/IMG_7025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumzJTRpVS2RD2k_6YNebsj1c9Xn-ZoZWqeB-4qo8zFh3Wsab-7bwdfjlUlvKrnHzrRK0slWhdJFRKrI5eFBRtiCROTt6uqQef4KIs-Pa6NfmzY5Hth7II3djk39jlgsARAEmF-MOogyTI/s320/IMG_7025.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norman cavalry charge!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg83NE4d2w6AIOXFlHjz06X8VF3rdaZZp4sWBemqNzQN05YGIEGXHWje9DnoNvWzwQYYtgCSHrGcr-2AGcnrhQenRprSnlYmZnb5xeX_l3DQ-HDX_k_LfqpdCbV9toMBNi4mlQvPQLKXQZe/s1600/IMG_7026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg83NE4d2w6AIOXFlHjz06X8VF3rdaZZp4sWBemqNzQN05YGIEGXHWje9DnoNvWzwQYYtgCSHrGcr-2AGcnrhQenRprSnlYmZnb5xeX_l3DQ-HDX_k_LfqpdCbV9toMBNi4mlQvPQLKXQZe/s320/IMG_7026.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Game ends with Anglo-Danish infantry about to assault the Norman infantry</td></tr>
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<h3>
Swordpoint - first impressions</h3>
Ok, so I quite liked Swordpoint. It has taken the best parts of WAB and streamlined the rest, including the overlapping turns. The system for dicing off initiative is nice, as it provides a suitable level of uncertainty on some critical turns. It also provides the possibility that one side might move twice in a row, if they go second on one turn and first on the following one.<br />
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After playing games such as Saga, Hail Caesar, etc. in recent years, the movement of formed infantry in Swordpoint seems quite restrictive and ponderous. Because it is hard to backtrack or move sideways with infantry, you have to plan their movements several turns in advance. There is no room for fancy manoeuvres and an all-infantry army will be chastised by a faster opponent for a poor deployment or if gaps are allowed to form in the line. Cavalry on the other hand are very manoeuvrable and can change direction very easily. This is as it should be and reflects the period well.<br />
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One of my opponents considered heavy cavalry under-powered in the game, since it is at a great disadvantage fighting formed infantry frontally. However, my impression is that if you can use their mobility to the fullest, they can be very effective. Mobility doesn´t mean only outflanking an enemy, but also being able to pick which part of the battle line to strike. Cavalry can also disengage from a fight or pull back from a defeat, then quickly reform for a renewed assault, meaning they might not breach a line on the first go, but have the ability to make multiple charges and redeploy to where the enemy is weakest.<br />
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In other respects too, the game is built so that results happen slowly and it takes time to overwhelm most enemies in combat. The "line of battle" rules and the combat result chart mean that a battle line will start to buckle and deteriorate before it is breached. This is quite similar to the system used in DBM, which I like. This concept is reinforced with the momentum tokens, which build up with success and increase your odds of winning a combat as the enemy is increasingly more hard-pressed (although it is strange that you gain momentum from shooting an enemy on one side of the field, which can then be used to affect a combat on the other).<br />
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The down side of this "gradually unfolding resolution" is that it will require multiple hours of playing time to defeat the enemy. Both of these games took some 3-3,5 hours to play and we had to cut them short. We were still learning the somewhat complex rules and had to refer to the rulebook quite often, which slowed the game down. Another factor in slowing these two games up was the match-up, with both games pitting a cumbersome infantry army looking for a head on scrap against a nimbler army looking to shoot up and outflank the infantry. While I don´t mind playing slightly longer games of 4-5 hours, I am a bit wary of whether Swordpoint might be a bit too cumbersome for relaxed evening gaming with friends. That said, I really liked the rules and assuming that game play will become faster in the future, I look forward to playing Swordpoint on a regular basis.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQKkLnoifXppaBEbjhQux_ovOMHa4ChCzfbhdCTXVW3VLIPe0GoBkicT78Tb4uI2zycy0ptz3cetaYFuUhAdWweE2Ln9c0ksWz49FUimrat8oV9mjjOiss30PYpV_RNP7Z8JA22QqwBuj/s1600/IMG_7023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQKkLnoifXppaBEbjhQux_ovOMHa4ChCzfbhdCTXVW3VLIPe0GoBkicT78Tb4uI2zycy0ptz3cetaYFuUhAdWweE2Ln9c0ksWz49FUimrat8oV9mjjOiss30PYpV_RNP7Z8JA22QqwBuj/s320/IMG_7023.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another game: Alexander´s successors fighting it out amongst themselves</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaed4YTseTUncc2Xi5VuTuGNFfxc68d55tSF3rWiwP6BidPrUwj9ZLZfqi3nCS9Jbjk-s2ngGUQIOu1GAPZM9Roc0zYVzMo_tW4UmC6jzBDheFl9-9MhOOul45YU3dD_RnygGMmcS05FYi/s1600/IMG_7024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaed4YTseTUncc2Xi5VuTuGNFfxc68d55tSF3rWiwP6BidPrUwj9ZLZfqi3nCS9Jbjk-s2ngGUQIOu1GAPZM9Roc0zYVzMo_tW4UmC6jzBDheFl9-9MhOOul45YU3dD_RnygGMmcS05FYi/s320/IMG_7024.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An elephant duel. How cool is that!</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-69938371731129294282017-05-29T10:55:00.000-07:002017-05-29T20:46:33.298-07:00Anglo-Saxon army<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfcVr9I1FoCcEGne4yABMXTHqLikad3LeVJv1Ye_R_KOyQa9GVH4fyE2hoz6K1unKIqMDzCenplBTyPfr3s-mzns1G0nooV9r9RRWvwylT6N_t5IxIcstfqsP6tWOW4OhGOcinR_S8P6f/s1600/IMG_6473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="292" data-original-width="1600" height="71" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfcVr9I1FoCcEGne4yABMXTHqLikad3LeVJv1Ye_R_KOyQa9GVH4fyE2hoz6K1unKIqMDzCenplBTyPfr3s-mzns1G0nooV9r9RRWvwylT6N_t5IxIcstfqsP6tWOW4OhGOcinR_S8P6f/s400/IMG_6473.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Its been a while since my last post, and a lot has happened since then. Namely, I've built myself an Anglo-Saxon (or Anglo-Danish more correctly) army!<br />
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Last autumn I found an unexpected inspiration and calling to put together a force of Normans for Saga (the results of which can be seen <a href="http://napoleon-complex-gaming.blogspot.fi/2016/11/norman-infantry-ready.html">here</a>). The inspiration for this period has remained strong, and little by little I've painted an Anglo-Saxon force to fight against the Normans. Only, this force has grown to be quite substantial with over 150 models done so far! That´s not a bad pace since it means I've painted about one miniature each day this year. Anyway, here´s the progress so far:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7LOR4mfOlRalxaKuuDDZJqecbpGD-QYuTF8Qjdvtgk7cyH56mgSSb0Ar26EDc9Rz-jSui0s_2PCn5BGnopsT2N_lluiXVq4QuKEjQpfSQGZ6zrdxo8MV5VMVS4kh3PZfzppe_DK6kLgO/s1600/IMG_7995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7LOR4mfOlRalxaKuuDDZJqecbpGD-QYuTF8Qjdvtgk7cyH56mgSSb0Ar26EDc9Rz-jSui0s_2PCn5BGnopsT2N_lluiXVq4QuKEjQpfSQGZ6zrdxo8MV5VMVS4kh3PZfzppe_DK6kLgO/s320/IMG_7995.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Commander 1</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_eS9Syb9LY9uHZCK6SKas5o25bxODRPmIVhgSqsgoWKSq13e9cGK6FrduMSZLCGUiVWQji4LA8OuabzHxPKRPfyNEDyRuNmAhvXhME6pycuDdlvs3Btas5JVW7QdYscWRBvayFynbv3a/s1600/IMG_7791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_eS9Syb9LY9uHZCK6SKas5o25bxODRPmIVhgSqsgoWKSq13e9cGK6FrduMSZLCGUiVWQji4LA8OuabzHxPKRPfyNEDyRuNmAhvXhME6pycuDdlvs3Btas5JVW7QdYscWRBvayFynbv3a/s320/IMG_7791.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Commander 2</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGz1DOW8AWtHifIHzNktVn9ggvb8MO4AjXkpnY8I_d1T6uj1qqamprkFQj_uPf_E9Xs50I3hMFDoK5POAaqhe9RxH_y3S1SLaLZEv9rmQXV7H1QrlZszr8jQ9xmC-O81sUs6KaJLXHgDI/s1600/IMG_7993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGz1DOW8AWtHifIHzNktVn9ggvb8MO4AjXkpnY8I_d1T6uj1qqamprkFQj_uPf_E9Xs50I3hMFDoK5POAaqhe9RxH_y3S1SLaLZEv9rmQXV7H1QrlZszr8jQ9xmC-O81sUs6KaJLXHgDI/s320/IMG_7993.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Commander 3</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3O9QcAOyKlCaWrW6k5PqCiFs5xgOhFiaoOF_vE0n_H3GGslGScieT3mePWoPNsVLXRHttggbtKOMI9CMrv_mIetteaDupSp2QTMEsDYTntvLpNkzZ_kgUJw5yLgYo9c6xOk54opXJiM1y/s1600/IMG_7734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3O9QcAOyKlCaWrW6k5PqCiFs5xgOhFiaoOF_vE0n_H3GGslGScieT3mePWoPNsVLXRHttggbtKOMI9CMrv_mIetteaDupSp2QTMEsDYTntvLpNkzZ_kgUJw5yLgYo9c6xOk54opXJiM1y/s320/IMG_7734.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fyrd warriors</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHF6lmpwx6ZqgxfFEaBBRFhh6ZP1K-i5dfMDIn5n-BYA2UMi3a3_y37h1TP0qqZRH_JdXc9Y52zP7e3VKq5tHJpYStwXheeJ10tPVzKJOQm5Zpmt-Xfr9ss1L0hNJ7l4h_7PTjjUhgUr_R/s1600/IMG_7736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHF6lmpwx6ZqgxfFEaBBRFhh6ZP1K-i5dfMDIn5n-BYA2UMi3a3_y37h1TP0qqZRH_JdXc9Y52zP7e3VKq5tHJpYStwXheeJ10tPVzKJOQm5Zpmt-Xfr9ss1L0hNJ7l4h_7PTjjUhgUr_R/s320/IMG_7736.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Fyrd warriors</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjb5Da4DogXDp7Y5hGTmFzfP7v1Borz2LNAzz-fTsTNS5w3liz8Ojn0u4xeOGGardLrC7Q_JwBxD1FgPaUhuBKfCHTmSGPVTv-YxqJ6W-DLhWpQEduDmm6roSqnMiqbGbjl6vs0dgWH7ql/s1600/IMG_7994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjb5Da4DogXDp7Y5hGTmFzfP7v1Borz2LNAzz-fTsTNS5w3liz8Ojn0u4xeOGGardLrC7Q_JwBxD1FgPaUhuBKfCHTmSGPVTv-YxqJ6W-DLhWpQEduDmm6roSqnMiqbGbjl6vs0dgWH7ql/s320/IMG_7994.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A base of Huscarls with dane-axes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SkiNLd13zJWBUnc7r3ZY6Li9wtGqkMnc8aKqheaNHZVgsxYRTZ-I4Sjn3HVdMew4JLPxfEdDgX-gCBrsvo_-KKMrOpS4LtlRzIBXxvGwYkKOcd2tIoX4QM2ZsEMr4nPP_6TLPid9orLQ/s1600/IMG_6453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SkiNLd13zJWBUnc7r3ZY6Li9wtGqkMnc8aKqheaNHZVgsxYRTZ-I4Sjn3HVdMew4JLPxfEdDgX-gCBrsvo_-KKMrOpS4LtlRzIBXxvGwYkKOcd2tIoX4QM2ZsEMr4nPP_6TLPid9orLQ/s320/IMG_6453.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Combined unit Huscarls and Fyrd</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBbzYPQekaqV8F8ATPFpvxpZcPx0hCA8uvmrGLmuq2iBM_5XHTFhA9x5yA0DxR85_WgurcpWhueLACF3hdL7U8QX-4G0r5CQoNnaD5wJUCLEGLr48Z__uQY55MxYwb_dceH3RRrevEo_M/s1600/IMG_6455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBbzYPQekaqV8F8ATPFpvxpZcPx0hCA8uvmrGLmuq2iBM_5XHTFhA9x5yA0DxR85_WgurcpWhueLACF3hdL7U8QX-4G0r5CQoNnaD5wJUCLEGLr48Z__uQY55MxYwb_dceH3RRrevEo_M/s320/IMG_6455.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8FLen4CEepP5ErE0IZcf_HU316QwT14KS2rtkL850alZY-isrN8ORjX-c1SMJ7DLpq4jQfq-SDLX2VJeDkAWHu9gnn79tJNiUME5Ygp3Hi5uKgGVDUVXDLeuJCmcieBfAnhdmIrbQ0iYW/s1600/IMG_7787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8FLen4CEepP5ErE0IZcf_HU316QwT14KS2rtkL850alZY-isrN8ORjX-c1SMJ7DLpq4jQfq-SDLX2VJeDkAWHu9gnn79tJNiUME5Ygp3Hi5uKgGVDUVXDLeuJCmcieBfAnhdmIrbQ0iYW/s320/IMG_7787.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two units of Fyrd</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyM7Tb7Z1BrrRWTfW3VmpHzN2uLAGMV2-4GGlebd-K9XKbZXoKOqL7ZcL5VnXlYOae53pNzVANfXe5Zvrw40rP4ArXi8YAl6zzUHh0xEUZuSfgAhmL8XSYIHuIDBpFhjFL4T7AHREMMWD/s1600/IMG_7788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyM7Tb7Z1BrrRWTfW3VmpHzN2uLAGMV2-4GGlebd-K9XKbZXoKOqL7ZcL5VnXlYOae53pNzVANfXe5Zvrw40rP4ArXi8YAl6zzUHh0xEUZuSfgAhmL8XSYIHuIDBpFhjFL4T7AHREMMWD/s320/IMG_7788.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWtChNNw0MN8VE7L6IFg7YtbQfY8E35LwP3c-ce-tam8_aQ7rZ0hupcR1ZVwzDhWBQaa7i6smyjug4ovqO81rXMO0RDxbZglcUF8Une9JLi8vx0zZZSW7KHpXezvdiIH0_uA5T779fQRW/s1600/IMG_7849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWtChNNw0MN8VE7L6IFg7YtbQfY8E35LwP3c-ce-tam8_aQ7rZ0hupcR1ZVwzDhWBQaa7i6smyjug4ovqO81rXMO0RDxbZglcUF8Une9JLi8vx0zZZSW7KHpXezvdiIH0_uA5T779fQRW/s320/IMG_7849.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Combined unit of Huscarls and Fyrd</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicntOHHCPnzhRiIqXdYusbOxOB02_xT68E-LTJrXl0DBGhiJYzrggopZN5VvNdLqAT8Jgbw8rxUhEfHT6rSUHD3P5u-mgca2zhnTliTGAjo0xaa8jS6_vC21pw38x1fCuWPK5BJZ1iaqnr/s1600/IMG_7851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicntOHHCPnzhRiIqXdYusbOxOB02_xT68E-LTJrXl0DBGhiJYzrggopZN5VvNdLqAT8Jgbw8rxUhEfHT6rSUHD3P5u-mgca2zhnTliTGAjo0xaa8jS6_vC21pw38x1fCuWPK5BJZ1iaqnr/s320/IMG_7851.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two units of Huscarls</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jb-DsT9MjCgSdSB9hLgxudlLBN5v7Fiq1RrfwbXM-dJm0O7lnekioEIbkKJSk67UdOm9Y01EHGGjKQNJ6_wWAQX0uZ2OrzL6S_gr3uAfGz6VU5TavFGetf_4qC_m9x4VJIlzgxC2Kci5/s1600/IMG_7852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jb-DsT9MjCgSdSB9hLgxudlLBN5v7Fiq1RrfwbXM-dJm0O7lnekioEIbkKJSk67UdOm9Y01EHGGjKQNJ6_wWAQX0uZ2OrzL6S_gr3uAfGz6VU5TavFGetf_4qC_m9x4VJIlzgxC2Kci5/s320/IMG_7852.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most of the miniatures can be taken off the bases for use in skirmish gaming</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggL1e0anf0pr5KhkPT5EQ6RBcK6GrQ2WmTOcSF7gfPDMYOMx-0wsoWnBeB1WscdYLIlJf7z8O5hy5pNkfExbQiepZBzdZ5eJvrrUM089zyA3Sl6XNbfoofEFod9gTta4Q_Vq9NA4qwVyuz/s1600/IMG_7992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggL1e0anf0pr5KhkPT5EQ6RBcK6GrQ2WmTOcSF7gfPDMYOMx-0wsoWnBeB1WscdYLIlJf7z8O5hy5pNkfExbQiepZBzdZ5eJvrrUM089zyA3Sl6XNbfoofEFod9gTta4Q_Vq9NA4qwVyuz/s320/IMG_7992.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viking mercenaries</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvp4GdZflaD6nCgk_LUGzsoaN6SHUmyNq9iKv4Bz8an2TX-Z-P1Yp1nIFfLyyhtGlyG01nW2v77bWdKBMt5Q-J5C8i6ScToFQWhK8tm507qROaziimunxPHwDXIzeTmoAy5ZSnd1fCKvKq/s1600/IMG_7998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvp4GdZflaD6nCgk_LUGzsoaN6SHUmyNq9iKv4Bz8an2TX-Z-P1Yp1nIFfLyyhtGlyG01nW2v77bWdKBMt5Q-J5C8i6ScToFQWhK8tm507qROaziimunxPHwDXIzeTmoAy5ZSnd1fCKvKq/s320/IMG_7998.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Javelinmen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTqo5BahMzX92VbPM28osytl8220KOaqguFXQsikvbXOXbms1KzwBmWvTENf1A0MZfAAKSddVrwVCSevyNSgLtCPEA60aRAorXXYR11rrhyphenhyphenvhSlNuZGHpWe5f4f0i4ZxrTvqyXrLQVzej/s1600/IMG_7999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTqo5BahMzX92VbPM28osytl8220KOaqguFXQsikvbXOXbms1KzwBmWvTENf1A0MZfAAKSddVrwVCSevyNSgLtCPEA60aRAorXXYR11rrhyphenhyphenvhSlNuZGHpWe5f4f0i4ZxrTvqyXrLQVzej/s320/IMG_7999.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slingers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-53936876110586743502017-01-02T17:05:00.000-08:002017-01-02T17:05:36.923-08:00Anglo-Saxon huscarls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXoVXcEdXwe8N31iavHZceeBc0fcBK6cPizXKt_Wz4tM6qOUAgTeC5RhNePX6hk55luuoQa5zUwj9iRSYjjX2PPp2tbHE529OW4yVezW0ijf_Q-qOhiPOkovYiOEgXUaw4TgqKPwc8VdUY/s1600/IMG_7722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXoVXcEdXwe8N31iavHZceeBc0fcBK6cPizXKt_Wz4tM6qOUAgTeC5RhNePX6hk55luuoQa5zUwj9iRSYjjX2PPp2tbHE529OW4yVezW0ijf_Q-qOhiPOkovYiOEgXUaw4TgqKPwc8VdUY/s320/IMG_7722.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here we go again, the start of a new army for the Dark Ages. The Norman warband I recently finished only served to "whet my appetite" for this period, so the natural next step was to start putting together some Anglo-Saxons. Here are the first 12, heavily armed and armoured huscarls ready to repel the barbarian invaders.<br />
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The models are once again from Gripping Beast. I gave these guys a lot of equipment traditionally associated with Normans (kite shields with Norman designs and painted helmets), as it seems quite likely that the same styles were in vogue on both sides of the channel. The equipment and the similar colour palette also help to tie my two armies together. The models from Gripping Beast are lovely and were a joy to paint. I shortened the dane-axes a bit, as those provided by Gripping Beast are ridiculously long (they should be at most shoulder height).<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-6574888971491785902016-11-29T20:28:00.000-08:002016-11-29T20:28:45.681-08:00Norman infantry ready!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I managed to finish (yeah right!) my Norman warband for Saga a few weeks back by painting up a large number of infantry. These include 16 spearmen (warriors), 8 crossbowmen (warriors) and 12 archers (levy). Once again, the miniatures are from Gripping Beast, with shield transfers from Little Big Men Studios.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVtSN6tXtmTC5jLMFRfYkx3dMf8WOufymVAoqQZu4bOxHw4MKICTxgUosFQf2X7eEwD1y2U7HEkFVirZrxevgkzXHkhXJC5-mMqXFfoSZDdzw231tYDByeEfvjuvIKf1R899Nv-pyaBT_K/s1600/IMG_7677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVtSN6tXtmTC5jLMFRfYkx3dMf8WOufymVAoqQZu4bOxHw4MKICTxgUosFQf2X7eEwD1y2U7HEkFVirZrxevgkzXHkhXJC5-mMqXFfoSZDdzw231tYDByeEfvjuvIKf1R899Nv-pyaBT_K/s320/IMG_7677.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Group photo of the spearmen:</div>
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Crossbowmen:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAHRRavP1EEcv6YTJp5wolpJ1H9II7iGBZqFHQb0EWn9qaNq-kmQFraVy1C1Jc_2oF1zxdtPuIySf8jRIUGl_Zget8ViE3wF8hEBxRhNUnSLVzEe4qewBHsYTERCI1O95FGTzLeDjO3_sk/s1600/IMG_7688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAHRRavP1EEcv6YTJp5wolpJ1H9II7iGBZqFHQb0EWn9qaNq-kmQFraVy1C1Jc_2oF1zxdtPuIySf8jRIUGl_Zget8ViE3wF8hEBxRhNUnSLVzEe4qewBHsYTERCI1O95FGTzLeDjO3_sk/s320/IMG_7688.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Archers:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkZasm_YD0bwh4NyQ693TebBCTGxhPOOzrL_nlLgVnFHA1UlfqBh_bF0W-6zhvq_L8qXnXmBdjLwyKwBHa3eQjzrpK76pZ6H-lW1c5fMcivo3GeuHU7CubT5G_eq8SMVVDbsF3wNcDikd/s1600/IMG_7693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkZasm_YD0bwh4NyQ693TebBCTGxhPOOzrL_nlLgVnFHA1UlfqBh_bF0W-6zhvq_L8qXnXmBdjLwyKwBHa3eQjzrpK76pZ6H-lW1c5fMcivo3GeuHU7CubT5G_eq8SMVVDbsF3wNcDikd/s320/IMG_7693.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The entire warband:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggD5Za7IIObTIDBimWtPVHkjW2Dn2qDRKqU4nwcNRxDWWIsv1wEro2wY5mEs86PGm_KaU8ABUblZxBhGx0cPmLsjnrTPHjAlRthX2NmkbBg4MNSkFbQD2OnaVpn20id5Ali_dhM0wiF1uB/s1600/IMG_7695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggD5Za7IIObTIDBimWtPVHkjW2Dn2qDRKqU4nwcNRxDWWIsv1wEro2wY5mEs86PGm_KaU8ABUblZxBhGx0cPmLsjnrTPHjAlRthX2NmkbBg4MNSkFbQD2OnaVpn20id5Ali_dhM0wiF1uB/s320/IMG_7695.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-26961841879375226252016-11-07T13:46:00.002-08:002016-11-07T13:46:46.920-08:00Norman knights for Saga<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuX-CAQVbxkDg6Xqxq-lMZMme4Vd3tpwBoNgrULNo3zL4UEWm0IEtf_hG_eK4P3H4dbX90vy_Yc5UqUO9ayaw-bIfoktmnDOBnk8S1Gns_EFvoj2mS3bnjdwFg7SBKxDr3CbZdmMdlhuGX/s1600/IMG_7675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuX-CAQVbxkDg6Xqxq-lMZMme4Vd3tpwBoNgrULNo3zL4UEWm0IEtf_hG_eK4P3H4dbX90vy_Yc5UqUO9ayaw-bIfoktmnDOBnk8S1Gns_EFvoj2mS3bnjdwFg7SBKxDr3CbZdmMdlhuGX/s320/IMG_7675.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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This is the start of my newest Saga warband: Normans. First up are my warlord, Baron Odo the Outrageous, and 12 knights (mounted hearthguard). The miniatures are from Gripping Beast, with shield transfers and the flag from Little Big Men Studios.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgziIB47OHdXHWEA3pw3fSAbh0o6Jp5FMneckWra91fUQsWgEhxwJ5inrFyEkPNodpgb7Ax7-2w8gAUEbYnZA_0A1JQbdaSRh_2iHXXSfcu7rCAgaNai_tAt7OzKnVzVTfrsPRpJzaxiGX0/s1600/IMG_7661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgziIB47OHdXHWEA3pw3fSAbh0o6Jp5FMneckWra91fUQsWgEhxwJ5inrFyEkPNodpgb7Ax7-2w8gAUEbYnZA_0A1JQbdaSRh_2iHXXSfcu7rCAgaNai_tAt7OzKnVzVTfrsPRpJzaxiGX0/s320/IMG_7661.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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To commemorate the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings, I added a printed frieze of the Bayeux Tapestry to the base of Baron Odo. Lets just pretend that this recounts the (forthcoming) exploits of this (as yet untested) mighty warrior.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0tD6-gayBYSF7sM2xlpelD91lxWAJSTZ32NwLskc6Nre9L-Bd9ncE0KYdaTBTzJE26Q98fY_Nfp_IkRMfp2QyuzSMXBND_vl8wfzhuGYKn0Ny4mIZeNU20dc0M2DxtAChXP2DUBxRmJUa/s1600/IMG_7663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0tD6-gayBYSF7sM2xlpelD91lxWAJSTZ32NwLskc6Nre9L-Bd9ncE0KYdaTBTzJE26Q98fY_Nfp_IkRMfp2QyuzSMXBND_vl8wfzhuGYKn0Ny4mIZeNU20dc0M2DxtAChXP2DUBxRmJUa/s320/IMG_7663.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The transfers from Little Big Men Studios are both beautiful and easy to use. These ones are made specifically for Gripping Beast shields and fit on really well. Unfortunately, about half of the models have shields where the canvas runs over to the back of the shields. This meant that I had to paint "extensions" of the transfers over the edges of the shield. It was a bit challenging to mix the paints to get colours that perfectly blend in with those used in the transfers, but I am quite happy with the end result.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEFvLshHxnNKdGc1YbSCMs2ivQ17q5uzYsjcZc-_4DJ4QDrKPbwkko3HcNJ6POEZGIaL-oTGJczQNlYWufDEScCrVBcU-kvqmk0Fxn6qcIQejyUNPnHxrpTvkNHg9IKMn3cwTTyuTnN5S/s1600/IMG_7665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEFvLshHxnNKdGc1YbSCMs2ivQ17q5uzYsjcZc-_4DJ4QDrKPbwkko3HcNJ6POEZGIaL-oTGJczQNlYWufDEScCrVBcU-kvqmk0Fxn6qcIQejyUNPnHxrpTvkNHg9IKMn3cwTTyuTnN5S/s320/IMG_7665.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiclQuVG1X_afL0dFL_MAacaFz6YWmJ25A9OAmDY3Az4qXPNgrvip9IU6fx6kVtYQ1QlxdQrhPOYTqs-PSqDCaSkP1zbOcr9xXLwyzD8cDyaiNbHZXMmafaS_9N3NevVc_Wm0BhNY8CH2Bl/s1600/IMG_7669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiclQuVG1X_afL0dFL_MAacaFz6YWmJ25A9OAmDY3Az4qXPNgrvip9IU6fx6kVtYQ1QlxdQrhPOYTqs-PSqDCaSkP1zbOcr9xXLwyzD8cDyaiNbHZXMmafaS_9N3NevVc_Wm0BhNY8CH2Bl/s320/IMG_7669.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I also tried something new with the flag, which is paper glued onto aluminium foil. Whilst the foil allows for a better "furling in the wind" -effect, it was a bit fiddly to glue into place. This will require more practice.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-57931992543410145182016-10-23T09:25:00.000-07:002016-10-23T09:26:04.359-07:00Pacificon 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Ok, I've been a bit sluggish with posting lately, but that doesn't mean I've been idle on the gaming front!</div>
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Last month I visited Pacificon, a modest sized gaming convention for roleplayers, board gamers and miniature gamers. I was mostly interested in the latter, and on Saturday there was definitely a lot of eye candy to go around. I took part in an Alamo game (it was the 180th anniversary) and tried a Wild West skirmish game. I also made some purchases, but unfortunately I was quite disappointed with the merchandise available - there were very few miniature related products and a whole lot of roleplaying stuff and board games (especially non-historical games). Nonetheless, it was a fun event.</div>
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Knuckleduster miniatures (Wild West)</h3>
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Forrest Harris was demonstrating the 3D sculpting process used at Knuckleduster, together with his splendid range of 28mm Wild West miniatures. The miniatures were amazing, and I naturally bought a few. The demo game of Desperados was also fun and quite cinematic, though the game seems like it might bog down if more than a handful of characters are used.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig281SjwVhZdr2SUTn2FySyHJ3LOFGl4Ezn9_MUirzxNgTsElHfdu0zCWeKz5knjruVLlzbClfHr6oGyWW_5qvaklBVc7c5GiEs7CcHSMQpvdkBjfbri-bwRGSyh1KGDAKJwcNsKfdXLVW/s1600/IMG_5995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig281SjwVhZdr2SUTn2FySyHJ3LOFGl4Ezn9_MUirzxNgTsElHfdu0zCWeKz5knjruVLlzbClfHr6oGyWW_5qvaklBVc7c5GiEs7CcHSMQpvdkBjfbri-bwRGSyh1KGDAKJwcNsKfdXLVW/s320/IMG_5995.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<h3>
Scifi</h3>
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<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Battle of San Lorenzo 1867</h3>
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<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Zombies!</h3>
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<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
"Naval" games</h3>
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<h3>
Ancients</h3>
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<h3>
Black Powder era</h3>
I think this game was from the War of 1812, but can't remember. It looked great!<br />
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<h3>
Napoleonic warfare (Command and Colours rules)</h3>
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<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Napoleonic Peninsular War (Sharp Practice rules)</h3>
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<h3>
Iraq 2003</h3>
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<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
World War 2</h3>
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<h3>
The Alamo</h3>
<div>
I took part in an Alamo game, which was fun. The exact replica of the Alamo and the models were truly stunning. The rules, designed by Texans, were perhaps a bit too partisan, but that didn't stop the Mexicans from storming the fort (after horrendous casualties).</div>
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<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
18th century</h3>
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I love these 60mm woodblock miniatures. They were made by gluing three laser-cut MDF layers on top of each other and then painted. Very old school toy feeling, and definitely durable. The game used Black Powder rules and the guy running it owned a company that makes these.</div>
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<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Racing game</h3>
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<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
US Civil War (Regimental Fire & Fury)</h3>
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<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The loot (aka my purchases)</h3>
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Besides the three Knuckleduster miniatures, I managed to pick a large lot of scifi minis quite cheaply at the flea market. I love the old GW Necormunda "ratskin scouts". There were a lot of other models also, though I don't know whether I'm going to ever use them. I also picked up two games and a puzzle made by a local family owned gaming company, Lumenaris. The puzzle and 19th century matchmaking game "Suitors and Suitability" are Christmas presents (man am I early this year!).</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-57731496139263188982016-08-17T14:25:00.001-07:002016-08-17T14:25:45.786-07:00South Bay Game Club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After a recent move to California, I haven't had much time to tinker with miniatures. Things are starting to settle down though, which means I've been able to open up my hobby "travel set", paint a few minis and, naturally, order new ones. Last weekend I was happy to pay a visit to the local <a href="https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/southbaygameclub/info">South Bay Game Club</a>. The club meets about once a month at a local church, where a number of different games are run. This time there were about 25-30 people present and five games: a Napoleonic naval game, a WW2 fighter game, a Mare Nostrum board game, a skirmish game between French Foreign Legion and Mexicans, as well as a large Saga game. I played Saga, which was a practice game of a Battle of Hastings demo to be run at Pacificon in a few weeks time.</div>
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I had a great time! The locals are very open and friendly, and I had a great time chatting about all manner of topics. These guys definitely appreciate historical gaming as much as I do. The game was fun as well, with some spectacular (and funny) moments. In the end, the Anglo-Saxons managed to counter the Norman's cavalry charge, slay William the Bastard and win the day!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The venue - a Lutheran church</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A 54-60 mm game of Foreign Legion vs. Mexicans</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Foreign Legion seemed to be holding their own</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Napoleonic naval action</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aerial combat in the Pacific</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norman knights</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3pC_zlPqyPNKcrhv0Se798FlTomhQcaYuik9z7lK8CGywfp2v9gAXvDr97zyK4smQoinLYyYtevRfrdiJDlBQCGEJIxDP0t0K66Jc8KAEYrrGh51T2Uk2SlkudC0p1gAsfxlgFUN4lY/s1600/IMG_0317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3pC_zlPqyPNKcrhv0Se798FlTomhQcaYuik9z7lK8CGywfp2v9gAXvDr97zyK4smQoinLYyYtevRfrdiJDlBQCGEJIxDP0t0K66Jc8KAEYrrGh51T2Uk2SlkudC0p1gAsfxlgFUN4lY/s320/IMG_0317.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">William the Bastard</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1TZUdP_AlrsAnwyRcClRNvLc3GyNe81201d7uHMTZHPPkKDM9S-6WzpKJ1grLBMXDJaT0o5UWyfR076Tr53cXFXpz0bEt2RqxPVY5lFIZTOUstfZIgU1tv1RS26IGE-tgB7Os2rpl5MI/s1600/IMG_0325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1TZUdP_AlrsAnwyRcClRNvLc3GyNe81201d7uHMTZHPPkKDM9S-6WzpKJ1grLBMXDJaT0o5UWyfR076Tr53cXFXpz0bEt2RqxPVY5lFIZTOUstfZIgU1tv1RS26IGE-tgB7Os2rpl5MI/s320/IMG_0325.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bastard is cut down</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lSoNXp5N14UTgon-yRzaIeV9TFnytMDLfWs-WcxrBeQ4dQSpRL51_TXWLOZSUv4gydPeY3zH5WhKIfjz2yHAKuhFAfiKArpfjvRJBjrH0eqmSTGLjnwEq6-GS0UpuY9YAAa893g_HTE/s1600/IMG_0323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lSoNXp5N14UTgon-yRzaIeV9TFnytMDLfWs-WcxrBeQ4dQSpRL51_TXWLOZSUv4gydPeY3zH5WhKIfjz2yHAKuhFAfiKArpfjvRJBjrH0eqmSTGLjnwEq6-GS0UpuY9YAAa893g_HTE/s320/IMG_0323.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was also a good looking Bring & Buy section at the venue</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-43578159601913410232016-07-07T15:51:00.000-07:002016-07-07T16:06:51.049-07:00Steel Lightning: Cadian 25th Assault Engineer company<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvH-Kbydrm2VxR-w6WBY__7_iEwoWFgSSvB3RTNfWNUyaoACJ92_o1IyjxqcmXmZgOGPdyuSt4WbUqyvSU9tVfWHqK1pWTrgnRzC8-LI6esnN77pv7ZD6rIUMr30Q22E_aZSjUJ9rXEFE/s1600/IMG_5723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvH-Kbydrm2VxR-w6WBY__7_iEwoWFgSSvB3RTNfWNUyaoACJ92_o1IyjxqcmXmZgOGPdyuSt4WbUqyvSU9tVfWHqK1pWTrgnRzC8-LI6esnN77pv7ZD6rIUMr30Q22E_aZSjUJ9rXEFE/s320/IMG_5723.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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A Warhammer 40K campaign started at our club, which has been generated a lot of excitement and been very successful in mobilizing many veteran gamers to dig up their old armies. This has certainly happened to me, and I have even found myself painting new additions to my already quite extensive collection of Imperial Guard (or whatever they're called nowadays).</div>
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In a flurry of nocturnal painting I finished a platoon of veteran guardsmen I had assembled maybe 5-6 years ago and tuned up their transports with some battle damage. I had originally assembled the force because I thought the theme was cool, so it's a nice surprise that they now constitute a "formation" in 40K, which get some nice bonuses to boot. Score!</div>
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The 25th Assault Engineer company is a separate formation that is permanently attached to the Cadian 6th Armoured Regiment. Their tasks are manifold: clearing and bridging obstacles, escorting the regiment's Leman Russ battle tanks, securing objectives and assaulting fortified enemy positions. The veterans are armed with shotguns, meltaguns, meltabombs, flamers, demolition charges and other "tools of the trade". Each squad is mounted on a Chimera APC and the platoon is supported by two Hellhound flame-thrower tanks. The company is commanded by Major Steele, a hardened veteran with almost as many bionic replacements than "original" parts.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st squad</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2nd squad</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Major Steele with his command squad</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squad 3</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The platoon's AFVs</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the battle-worn Chimeras</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Hellhound from Forge World</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-76697073540218157542016-07-01T05:36:00.001-07:002016-07-01T05:36:27.540-07:00Encounter at Joyle's Depot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFSEzOIOtxzzZESYzlgejhWgqXxlcZzLTqCJUUTp7qxfB-AOx_VEQdTdGTGnfdx9H072-ByQM9IjZIW0dcEt9CSU8NncsE7DhuwxdDfmOnhOR44vsXVmjipX76w_GxC1aiSK3AlasEZ4/s1600/IMG_7436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFSEzOIOtxzzZESYzlgejhWgqXxlcZzLTqCJUUTp7qxfB-AOx_VEQdTdGTGnfdx9H072-ByQM9IjZIW0dcEt9CSU8NncsE7DhuwxdDfmOnhOR44vsXVmjipX76w_GxC1aiSK3AlasEZ4/s320/IMG_7436.JPG" width="256" /></a></div>
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The deep thud of a heavy bolter sounded off in the distance, accompanied by a few shotgun blasts. The battle was already quieting down and Major Steele, commander of 3rd platoon, 52nd Cadian assault engineer regiment was already contemplating his next move. The grizzled veteran walked around a wrecked Chaos war-engine that his men were rigging with explosives. More Cadians were busy dispatching the enemy wounded and dragging the fallen of both sides to massive heaps. Everything that had been tainted by Chaos would be incinerated or blown up, just in case. The several Leman Russ wrecks of Cadian 6th armoured would be salvaged and, if possible, repaired by the regiments enginseers.</div>
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The task force's mission had been a success, but its implications worried the Major. The platoon of assault engineers, supported by a squadron of Leman Russ battle tanks, had been tasked with investigating what had happened at Joyle's Depot. The little village, which had acted as one of the regiment's supply dumps, had gone awfully quiet a few days ago. Upon arrival, the Cadians found the village littered with bodies and reeking of intoxicating scents. Chaos!</div>
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Cultists were busy organising some form of ritual in nearby woods and unnatural daemons lurked in the shadows. Major Steele immediately ordered an attack, which had gone well. Advancing on a broad front, the Imperial tanks had laid down a withering fire, which cut down many of the smaller daemons that were gathered in some kind of vile celebration. </div>
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The surprised Slaanesh forces counter-attacked with all sorts of daemonic war engines and Chaos monstrosities, which materialized behind the guardsmen and on their flanks. Several Leman Russ tanks were destroyed by the massive claws of the Chaos monsters while the rest lumbered forward. Unperturbed, Major Steele had ordered his assault engineers to press on with the attack and the mobile veterans obliterated each threat before it got out of hand.</div>
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The battle was short and brutal. Imperial losses were light while virtually the entire Chaos host was cut down. Only the leader of the cultists managed to escape, while the daemons disappeared into the Warp whence they had come from. Major Steele knew from experience though, that the fight was not over. Every last one of those cultists would have to be hunted down and the village would have to be purified. This was only the beginning.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cadian armour rolls into the village</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enemy sighted, fire at will!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The daemonic horde is caught off-guard</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Major Steele's HQ races to secure an objective</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH62VrDTg1t1Aj83c_17kqnLPveLs3X2lzOdJHav92BofYOPY8ij_u6MCCVgG-Efs6ytr-foF2swRGIxs4s05Nby2wHF1GoipsYxN2wPxklA8CPeuqcFB0LZ6-kvRjoCTbT1grzgoF1OA/s1600/IMG_7443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH62VrDTg1t1Aj83c_17kqnLPveLs3X2lzOdJHav92BofYOPY8ij_u6MCCVgG-Efs6ytr-foF2swRGIxs4s05Nby2wHF1GoipsYxN2wPxklA8CPeuqcFB0LZ6-kvRjoCTbT1grzgoF1OA/s320/IMG_7443.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Chaos monster races forward at unnatural speed and rips a Leman Russ in two with its claws</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMJDkCmRuW6LQQgBG8fWIPi9qgbwKYV2T9wcfV_h5DPS0XJ3du-vvWYpuvC6TGqNyW-gjJSonbYNHFCYOHNpiSsz4HrJ0d_js0w6qSCelcM6HRWMBDMhAUvUtKeomCQk0rnysrhPR7cY/s1600/IMG_7444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMJDkCmRuW6LQQgBG8fWIPi9qgbwKYV2T9wcfV_h5DPS0XJ3du-vvWYpuvC6TGqNyW-gjJSonbYNHFCYOHNpiSsz4HrJ0d_js0w6qSCelcM6HRWMBDMhAUvUtKeomCQk0rnysrhPR7cY/s320/IMG_7444.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cadian infantry counter-attacks and destroys the monstrosity with well-aimed melta shots</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgswDEdZi8onLN3DlLpsc6NcYUJlGB-59124jIpL8oYfMyQzq_frzWhLgnpyuYrWhm80Eo2MfJunUKMSrZUnNubgCo5y0JwfyibX3rp1AJ2vwOyAdnmGcO0tcgc9RsfOue0-QKD_5mDuMg/s1600/IMG_7445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgswDEdZi8onLN3DlLpsc6NcYUJlGB-59124jIpL8oYfMyQzq_frzWhLgnpyuYrWhm80Eo2MfJunUKMSrZUnNubgCo5y0JwfyibX3rp1AJ2vwOyAdnmGcO0tcgc9RsfOue0-QKD_5mDuMg/s320/IMG_7445.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chaos Spawn and the vile warlord of the Chaos host arrive from outflank...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cadian veterans redeploy and take down the Chaos outflankers with well-placed shotgun blasts</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A daemonic sorcer lands in a deadly cross-fire and is eventually destroyed</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forward for Cadia!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chaos forces are in a tight spot as the Imperial tanks lumber on</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Major Steele is victorious!</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-69555454481335525352016-06-18T04:01:00.002-07:002016-06-18T04:01:53.646-07:00Star Wars Armada: Encounter at base NS-207B<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgsde1D2eTDcpf-dqgfSCcFGO67Ps7Cj3NOs3ZPFJWPwHs2FjaHxMHbjByt307uuxqkz6GpW1umZmOG9wlBh8BuO4RBxKWiWaWNqS9dwr54EADPtDqaRtBYN_8FBUiBtJCA2ve8QcceQ/s1600/star+wars+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgsde1D2eTDcpf-dqgfSCcFGO67Ps7Cj3NOs3ZPFJWPwHs2FjaHxMHbjByt307uuxqkz6GpW1umZmOG9wlBh8BuO4RBxKWiWaWNqS9dwr54EADPtDqaRtBYN_8FBUiBtJCA2ve8QcceQ/s320/star+wars+pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Admiral Dracip stood unmoving on the command deck of his Star Destroyer, Retribution. The greying veteran was lost deep in thought. Where could the Rebel fleet be? Dracip's task force had received orders to intercept and destroy a Rebel fleet active in the sector. The elusive enemy had already captured a number of Imperial supply convoys, but had thus far managed to evade Imperial patrols.</div>
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The Admiral's brooding was disrupted by a cough and some rustling from behind. There stood captain Krik, the fleet's chief intelligence officer. How long had the dark haired subaltern been there? Dracip disliked Krik, who was a cunning little thing that knew a bit too much and was probably out to supplant the elderly admiral. Unfortunately, Krik was too well connected to get rid off, and Dracip had to grudgingly admit that the younger man was good at what he did.</div>
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"What is it!?" Dracip barked.</div>
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"Sir, I have them!" The subaltern beamed proudly, undoubtedly taking credit for his underling's hard work. "My informants have indicated that the Rebel fleet plans to resupply at a remote space station on the fringes of the Nuthra system. A long range scan of the system indicates that several ships have indeed entered the area."</div>
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"Excellent! We must move out at once. Assemble the fleet and plot a course to this base. We shall wait until the Rebels have brought in their entire fleet and then come out of hyper space as close as possible. The enemy won't escape us this time!"</div>
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The encounter at base NS-207B</h4>
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We played a scenario where the objective of both sides was to control the space station in the centre, while destroying as much of the opposing fleet as possible. I played the Imperials, fielding three Victory I class Star Destroyers (Retribution, Justice and Sentinel), 7 squadrons of Tie Fighters and 2 squadrons of Tie Bombers. The Rebel fleet consisted of an Assault Frigate Mark II (their flagship), two Nebulon B Frigates, a Corelian Corvette, two squadrons of A-wings, a squadron of X-wings, squadron of B-wings and squadron of Y-wings. The Rebels had the initiative (going first).</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Imperial manoeuvre catches the rebel scum off-guard (again)!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The opposing fleets close in on space station NS-207B</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imperial Star Destroyers advance menacingly</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Rebel fleet is a more motley assortment of ships</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Space station NS-207B</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4MsHEspQgju-4o9KE9S_9fumxW2LbHq60VFQEkiFkwYPPWq1OkipT7K_Hzika_P8fwg6jmAW6NI2Q2Q2iiPZk-P8ZaQ2EwLek0WdYeyjxFeFHVUqFr911QpBYJiMd-LtiGcY1j5Fz-s0/s1600/IMG_7040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4MsHEspQgju-4o9KE9S_9fumxW2LbHq60VFQEkiFkwYPPWq1OkipT7K_Hzika_P8fwg6jmAW6NI2Q2Q2iiPZk-P8ZaQ2EwLek0WdYeyjxFeFHVUqFr911QpBYJiMd-LtiGcY1j5Fz-s0/s320/IMG_7040.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This game was powered by Imperial lager</td></tr>
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The Imperial fleet came out hyper space exactly as planned. The three Star Destroyers advancing side by side were a menacing sight, which threw the Rebels off guard. However, the supplies on station NS-207B were too valuable for the Rebels to abandon, and so they sped forward. In no time, the Rebel fleet had converged around the station and loading of the supplies could commence. The smaller, faster ships of the Rebel fleet were moving at great speed and started to bank right, with the obvious plan to by-pass and wheel around the imposing wall of death projected by the Star Destroyers' forward batteries. The Assault Frigate advanced more cautiously, apparently planning to defend the station while the supplies would be loaded.</div>
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On the Imperial side, Justice and Retribution advanced as fast as they could towards the station, whilst Sentinel on the right followed more slowly. Swarms of Tie Fighters were deployed and they hovered in front of the Star Destroyers, screening the capital ships from the Rebel bombers. As soon as the enemy came within range, the Tie Fighters sped forward to engage the Rebel squadrons. In no time at all, the Rebel squadrons were engaged and slowly both sides started to lose fighters.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Both sides scramble for the space station. The faster Rebel ships reach the target first.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Star Destroyer Sentinel, on the right flank, had misinterpreted the Rebel's plan and gets left behind.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tie Fighter ace "Mauler" Mithel engages the Rebel A-wings</td></tr>
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While the fighters engaged each other, the capital ships of both fleets continued on their trajectories. The Imperial Star Destroyers lumbered towards the space station whilst the lighter Rebel ships veered right. A few shots were traded at long range, but it was not long before the fleets clashed violently and true carnage could begin. The Star Destroyers were at their most effective at close range, while the nimble Rebel ships would have preferred to snipe at the enemy from long range.</div>
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The Corelian Corvette took a few heavy hits which dropped its shields, but the real punishment of the Imperial fleet was meted on one of the Nebulon-B Frigates, which lingered too long in the killing ground formed by the firing sector of two Star Destroyers. The Rebel captain tried to frantically weave left and right to avoid the shots, redirected his shields to the threatened sector and, when those efforts failed, attempted to increase speed to get out of the fire. It was all to no avail, and the short but deadly concentration of fire incinerated the overwhelmed frigate. The second Rebel frigate and the Corelian Corvette made it through the gauntlet and got round to the rear of the Star Destroyers. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All hell breaks loose in the centre</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One Rebel ship is destroyed, but the remaining Nebulon-B Frigate and Corelian Corvette make it to the Imperial rear.</td></tr>
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However, the Rebel fleet had teeth of its own, and the Star Destroyers too started to feel the hurt. The Rebels chose to concentrate their fire against the Imperial capital ship, Retribution, which was situated in the middle of the Imperial line. Retribution was hit particularly hard by the close-range fire of the Assault Frigate, which continued loading supplies from the space station. Retribution returned fire and the squadrons of Tie Bombers started making bombing runs against the large Rebel ship. Star Destroyers Justice and Sentinel started to move up on either flank of the Rebel flagship. Meanwhile, the Tie Fighters had gained the upper hand against the less numerous rebel squadrons and slowly but surely eradicated the enemy fighters one by one. The Imperial fleet also gained control of the space station as their fleet began closing in from all sides.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The flagships of both fleets are locked in a deadly duel.</td></tr>
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As the Corvette and Nebulon-B Frigate wheeled around the Imperial line, the predicament of Star Destroyer Retribution got worse. There was insufficient room for the Imperial flagship to manoeuvre past the Rebel's Assault Frigate, which kept pummelling its hapless prey from point-blank range. The ship's shields were down and the crew was hard pressed to put out the numerous small fires that had sprung up whilst trying to repair the ships systems, which were failing one by one. The lighter Rebel ships threw in their fire from the rear, which sealed the Star Destroyer's fate. With its hull breached in a dozen places, Admiral Dracip ordered all crew to abandon ship. Proud and standing tall, the admiral refused to abandon his station. One by one the lights flickered out and the engines died down. Slowly, the airless hulk continued on its trajectory and drifted off to space.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Star Destroyer Retribution is destroyed, followed shortly after by the Rebel flagship.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remaining Rebel squadrons are swamped and destroyed.</td></tr>
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The Rebels' elation was short lived, however, as they were in trouble of their own. Star Destroyers Justice and Sentinel drifted forward on either side of the large Rebel flagship, taking the beleaguered ship in a deadly crossfire. The hunter had become the hunted, and now it was the Rebel ships turn to frantically seek an escape from this trap. It was too late, however, to escape the wrath of the Star Destroyers. A well concentrated fire knocked out the Assault Frigate's shields on either flank, leaving the flagship a sitting duck. Sensing the inevitable, the captain attempted to contact the Imperial ships to negotiate a surrender.</div>
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The Imperial fleet did not heed this plea. It has been suggested that the Rebel ship's transmitters had been knocked out and that the plea for mercy never got through. Others say that the Imperial ships refused to accept the surrender. What the truth is, we don't know. What we do know is that a final, massive bombardment took the Rebel ship in both flanks simultaneously and that one of these rounds penetrated the ships reactors. The overheating reactors went critical and the Rebel fleet's capital ship disappeared in a brilliant explosion.</div>
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This was too much for the remaining Rebel ships: the remaining Nebulon-B Frigate and a Corelian Corvette. The Imperial Star Destroyers began wheeling about to engage the smaller ships and the Tie Fighters, having dispatched the remaining Rebel squadrons, moved to engage the capital ships. A few more shots were traded, but to little effect. The Rebel ships manoeuvred for a while and plotted the course for a hyper jump out of the system. In a flash, the remnants of the Rebel fleet activated their hyper drives and disappeared. The Nuthra system had been pacified - for now.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgkoZrlOG06LudzluzdDx0JejcMpu5A8HEq5TBMm4YpeDSu5mqT755BjTMeTYg0qD-5oQdIvrLC6UULfxazPQCgyjKozyjrXSaCemfshOvefkDwmuejfJ9pENornHoBqDNebKhc2_rUE/s1600/IMG_7052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgkoZrlOG06LudzluzdDx0JejcMpu5A8HEq5TBMm4YpeDSu5mqT755BjTMeTYg0qD-5oQdIvrLC6UULfxazPQCgyjKozyjrXSaCemfshOvefkDwmuejfJ9pENornHoBqDNebKhc2_rUE/s320/IMG_7052.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Star Destroyers begin wheeling to engage the remaining Rebel ships</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlvHwkzUEgFewLKmF0HB3MjPZqCOnR3K60xKYIlQMg_iUjKI-Np4OVyRAj_nkrefzCBswJ-cejDHNybpvSfymSDh6tnKnRBrfEOTk04_gyhfoZr2yZ-1ll1rD2oVpHoFQhPjCXgkOV9k/s1600/IMG_7053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlvHwkzUEgFewLKmF0HB3MjPZqCOnR3K60xKYIlQMg_iUjKI-Np4OVyRAj_nkrefzCBswJ-cejDHNybpvSfymSDh6tnKnRBrfEOTk04_gyhfoZr2yZ-1ll1rD2oVpHoFQhPjCXgkOV9k/s320/IMG_7053.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Rebel ships move to escape</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imperial ships closing in, the Rebel ships engage their hyper drives and make a jump out of the system.</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-59608138342897502252016-06-10T17:12:00.001-07:002016-06-10T17:12:51.141-07:00Black Powder: The Battle of Narva 1700<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The battle of Narva in 1700 has been hailed as Sweden's greatest victory. A small Swedish army under the dynamic Charles XII managed to surprise and outmanoeuvre a much larger Russian force besieging Narva-Ivangorod. Under the cover of a blizzard, the Swedes launched a concentrated assault against the Russian centre. Historically the Russian positions were overwhelmed and a large portion of their army was either killed trying to flee across the only bridge over the Narva-river, or forced to surrender. Hundreds of cannons and standards were captured and the 18-year old Swedish monarch's reputation was made.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmZmlX38prrCAPhUfQRBdOW7q1iuVT7oOrdZb1Xe-j2GOF9T5w7ax1iyeLvZxTWsxIphm1iIgkxakm322bf20AC0bMCHOXbu0D6y7YMY4xjrYT_QlOcN0PzZXXS35lOdSY_BYJY5Y13c/s1600/9dcbbff433a87adb796c237d08d345e8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmZmlX38prrCAPhUfQRBdOW7q1iuVT7oOrdZb1Xe-j2GOF9T5w7ax1iyeLvZxTWsxIphm1iIgkxakm322bf20AC0bMCHOXbu0D6y7YMY4xjrYT_QlOcN0PzZXXS35lOdSY_BYJY5Y13c/s320/9dcbbff433a87adb796c237d08d345e8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Yesterday we re-fought this legendary battle using Black Powder rules and a scenario I had written (<a href="https://napoleon-complex-gaming.blogspot.fi/p/narva-1700.html">which is made available on this same blog</a>). I acted as the (very pro-Russian) umpire whilst two players commanded both the Swedish and Russian armies. The Swedish objective was to rout the Russian army and/or gain control of the terrain behind the siege works on either the left or right flank. The Russian army was strung out across the length of the table, but there was a very strong fortified camp filled with Russians in the centre. The Swedes were divided into two columns, with General Rehnskiold's division on the left and General Vellingk's division on the right.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deployment</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Swedes are eager to get to grips</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Russian defenders of the fortified camp</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Russians (Veyde's division) ready to take on the Swedes</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swedish generals looking thoughtful</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Russian generals playing with their artillery</td></tr>
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Under the cover of the snowstorm, the Swedes started their assault. The left wing under Rehnskiold advanced rapidly under the competent general, with morale and discipline further buoyed by the presence of Charles XII nearby. Rehnskiold placed his men in a deep column, with one regiment after the other, which assaulted the fortifications in front of them. Unfortunately, the assault was poorly coordinated. The brave Swedes took lethal fire to their front and flank, which disrupted the assault and forced them to retire.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rehnskiold's assault goes in, taking fire from left, right and centre</td></tr>
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Rehnskiold would not leave it at that however, and a second assault was planned more carefully. This time the elite Dal regiment would launch the assault supported by grenadiers. The other regiments would fan out more in order to tie down more Russian defenders and support the assault. The plan worked, and with a terrifying scream the Swedes scaled the ramparts and overwhelmed the defenders. Several Russian regiments broke and a breach had been made!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rehnskiold's second assault is better coordinated and led by his elite troops</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Dal regiment make a breach!</td></tr>
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Meanwhile, things were not going as planned on the right wing.<span style="text-align: center;"> Vellingk was having trouble coordinating his regiments in the howling blizzard, which reduced his advance to a crawl. All the while Russian cannonballs kept hammering the Swedes, although the blizzard shielded the Swedes from the worst of the barrage.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">Finally, much later than the left flank, the right managed to close with the enemy. Led by the King's Lifeguard, Vellingk's division assaulted the fortified camp in the centre. This assault was intended to support Rehnskiold on the left whilst minimizing the incoming fire from the right. However, this was also the strongest position of the Russian line. The Russians were definitely willing to fight dearly for this piece of ground, which they proved by giving the Lifeguard a thrashing (some pretty lucky dice rolling here!). The Lifeguard held, and with pure tenacity forced the Russians back. Another breach had been made and several batteries of Russian guns were captured!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vellingk's division advances cautiously</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View around turn 4</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vellingk finally manages to get his men to assault the Russian positions</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After humiliating setbacks, the Swedish Lifeguard regiment breach the fortified camp</td></tr>
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Swedish cavalry meant to tie down the Russians on either flank (off-board) were obviously faring badly, as the Russians managed to bring in four new regiments (four rolls of 6 on six dice!). This allowed the Russians to begin redeploying some of their forces from both the left and right to counter the breach in the centre. The blizzard also started to quieten down and, by turn 6, the skies were clear and the full lethality of Russian fire could be unleashed on the Swedes.</div>
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On the left, Rehnskiold pushed his advantage and continued the assault with the elated Dal regiment. The assault hit the Russians hard, but they held. Swedish reinforcements were direly needed in the breach and Rehnskiold ordered his reinforcements forward. This is when disaster struck!</div>
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Vellingk had failed to sufficiently tie down the garrison of the fortified camp (due to his delayed advance and some miscommunication between the commanders), which enabled the garrison to fire withering traversing fire at the Swedes trying to push through. This was enough to send one of the Swedish regiments back in disarray. Almost at the same moment, a second Swedish regiment routed after heavy pummelling from Russian canister and volley fire. </div>
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Reinforcements were not forthcoming and Dal regiment was left stranded deep behind the Russian lines. The elite unit certainly gave everything they got, but there were simply too many Russian reserves and eventually the boys in blue were routed. Rehnskiold's division was now broken. The Russians had managed to contain the breach on this sector.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinaasJUSLOM6o2mi_Ok4TpZasxsijqMRarS11aFJwNHP2jBEMfo4FyT91dDxL5PkYRoRQ-ptg11PRFqyx4ACJYHVbr3mnoZBHNq9-6BBV-xrF3RxILbrZQLFxz16oWYD3lwTMa4Vd__hI/s1600/IMG_6975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinaasJUSLOM6o2mi_Ok4TpZasxsijqMRarS11aFJwNHP2jBEMfo4FyT91dDxL5PkYRoRQ-ptg11PRFqyx4ACJYHVbr3mnoZBHNq9-6BBV-xrF3RxILbrZQLFxz16oWYD3lwTMa4Vd__hI/s320/IMG_6975.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Russian left wing (Veyde) forces redeploy to the centre</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RMz0DpFyO-sljlS110pOg5YZ49SRnlCCPoiNrklwPmYcJDYClfNQIg1rikImuwVqJvdyu4EkMYd0ASIoFOcYtfMh_Tydhps6h8AcZWBVd3gyL4AbRCKyGBqZ_z0gx_5wAykyvIwvFHo/s1600/IMG_6971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RMz0DpFyO-sljlS110pOg5YZ49SRnlCCPoiNrklwPmYcJDYClfNQIg1rikImuwVqJvdyu4EkMYd0ASIoFOcYtfMh_Tydhps6h8AcZWBVd3gyL4AbRCKyGBqZ_z0gx_5wAykyvIwvFHo/s320/IMG_6971.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dal regiment push on</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxD2ThR3tqv2m2lyaxpIplFbfG5JCmCzgRb4ZqXypv_CvecvkA0PFR4WbEC8uR5DpPC9SIHoL8XAd-uWBYz6sPaoRRhh4DvRE6gVS0mozerCCRLkW8ebsHpNEzHLXZFVMi5OG7urDoPg/s1600/IMG_6976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxD2ThR3tqv2m2lyaxpIplFbfG5JCmCzgRb4ZqXypv_CvecvkA0PFR4WbEC8uR5DpPC9SIHoL8XAd-uWBYz6sPaoRRhh4DvRE6gVS0mozerCCRLkW8ebsHpNEzHLXZFVMi5OG7urDoPg/s320/IMG_6976.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where are the reinforcements!? Dal regiment gets cut off and overwhelmed.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwc70Y1sn18N41gNPkg7LcLIYxhcWkzhuHUJIPJNNZ7DVS5R8ZUyKoGJ956_XrbsvqmhfKDpQpM7354OMnxbPl7txrd6rwP__jmAQseTx4UEaGMnx4b_SIsSd1TQWmCk6fWY_C-BRw2OA/s1600/IMG_6972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwc70Y1sn18N41gNPkg7LcLIYxhcWkzhuHUJIPJNNZ7DVS5R8ZUyKoGJ956_XrbsvqmhfKDpQpM7354OMnxbPl7txrd6rwP__jmAQseTx4UEaGMnx4b_SIsSd1TQWmCk6fWY_C-BRw2OA/s320/IMG_6972.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rehnskiold's reinforcements are obliterated by Russian fire.</td></tr>
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Meanwhile, the slogging match in the centre continued. Västmanland infantry regiment also assaulted the Russians whilst the Lifeguard traded volleys with the Novgorod infantry regiment. Vellingk attempted to rally the shaken Lifeguard, who took affront at some of the generals cajoling and assaulted the Novgorodians (a blunder!). This Swedish Fury was too much for the battered defenders of the fortified camp. The Novgorodians routed and the brigade broke (4/6 units destroyed), leaving the position in Swedish hands. However, the cost had been great for the Swedes as well, and Vellingk's division broke at the same time (3/4 units shaken).<br />
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With Russian reserves pouring in and their infantry in tatters, the Swedes had little choice but to abandon the positions which had been so dearly won. Under the cover of their cavalry screen the Swedes would begin their inevitable and gruelling retreat across the frozen and ravaged countryside to Reval. With no hope of succour, the garrison of Narva would capitulate as well.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOPA7C1Lz9F3rzv8SN2A-ggE8OVLrtkZ1jhjLfQaef6NiRgVGEQS7VuoFZoUfr3Met0KRsHw_yuau_-5krSJ-APVP7rGwG1iG7pxNlDGhmdo8TX3cNLFT5FDatab4kJMNFC_YeHS5fuVs/s1600/IMG_6980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOPA7C1Lz9F3rzv8SN2A-ggE8OVLrtkZ1jhjLfQaef6NiRgVGEQS7VuoFZoUfr3Met0KRsHw_yuau_-5krSJ-APVP7rGwG1iG7pxNlDGhmdo8TX3cNLFT5FDatab4kJMNFC_YeHS5fuVs/s320/IMG_6980.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lifeguard launch one final assault to secure the fortification, but the cost is high and the Swedish division becomes broken as well</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Russian reinforcements have bolstered the defences beyond hope of capture</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final positions</td></tr>
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Closing thoughts</h3>
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In my mind, there were two main reasons for the Swedish loss in this game. The first was the devastating fire borne particularly by the Swedes' left wing (Rehnskiold), which was a result of being stuck for too long in front of the fortifications and passing too close to the fortified camp (more guns to bear + lethal traversing fire). A better organized assault further from the fortified camp could have succeeded better.</div>
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The other mistake was assaulting the fortified camp in the first place. This was the strongest division the Russians fielded. The rules for movement in the fortified camp (rough going, -1 command if trying to move out of the camp) also meant that it was unlikely the Russian garrison could move out to support the flanks and that any Swedish success in capturing the fortified position would conversely have a hard time pushing past the camp to the objectives.</div>
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The Russians had around 7 regiments broken or shaken at the end of the game, but these were mostly from the large garrison in the fortified camp. Had these been inflicted on the flanking divisions and the assaults aimed further at the camp, there would have been more likelihood of the Swedes being victorious (capturing even one of the flanks or routing 2/3 divisions would have been sufficient).</div>
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This was also the first time we tried this scenario. Based on this test I adapted the scenario a bit to make it easier for the Swedes. The fortifications yielded +2 morale in our game but I changes this to only +1 in combat. I also made it less likely for the blizzard to end, reducing the roll from 4+ to 5+. We'll see how these changes impact the scenario the next time we try it. If anyone is encouraged to try it out, please let me know how it goes!</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-58687932191170009632016-06-08T22:44:00.001-07:002016-06-08T22:44:41.514-07:00Great Northern War - Moskovski infantry regiment + general<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHJQP2ov3cTBREX2y9IhU60rm_KOcnzeHJ-KoYK-r765WM-FNyfDNKZPNLzYTcFERm0VQPPfcTa_YTgP8gkvXPZjP8A002mnzH__HGAprJnlcri1SA7Y_oOrs5fVLeQhpm6-XBZaWV6M/s1600/IMG_5535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHJQP2ov3cTBREX2y9IhU60rm_KOcnzeHJ-KoYK-r765WM-FNyfDNKZPNLzYTcFERm0VQPPfcTa_YTgP8gkvXPZjP8A002mnzH__HGAprJnlcri1SA7Y_oOrs5fVLeQhpm6-XBZaWV6M/s320/IMG_5535.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Another regiment finished for my Great Northern War Russians. This time it's the Moscow infantry regiment in their scarlet uniforms. The minis are once again from Warfare Miniatures, but with a few additions from Ebor (officer, sergeant, casualty) to add variety to the previous units. I also painted a general (Footsore miniatures) to command my fledgling division of three regiments.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTgymuB_LDkByEnQmeq2JF-AxrMTdT2wekNrKBpDCRYNyeMIHScR0CVGnGFWBpVIDVfLkbVk-MCoN4IZREeiJn5x1sf16kDHVFY9EDwGbQ5D6EwZTasoudBmnskDNBP0RBOtk1mndIQQ/s1600/IMG_5536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTgymuB_LDkByEnQmeq2JF-AxrMTdT2wekNrKBpDCRYNyeMIHScR0CVGnGFWBpVIDVfLkbVk-MCoN4IZREeiJn5x1sf16kDHVFY9EDwGbQ5D6EwZTasoudBmnskDNBP0RBOtk1mndIQQ/s320/IMG_5536.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAqpdSrY9cXvs7wqDokMZ28G3Uck6VESx8V5DpZPETq8apDjYrZ9jfUGi9w-5yUbj5bKjvQDJ33KHmj365kt86b1wO9y63e51GaZ-_6oPWKyFOAXsXD5wMsXFMEZw87YmerhtiH7A0zn4/s1600/IMG_5538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAqpdSrY9cXvs7wqDokMZ28G3Uck6VESx8V5DpZPETq8apDjYrZ9jfUGi9w-5yUbj5bKjvQDJ33KHmj365kt86b1wO9y63e51GaZ-_6oPWKyFOAXsXD5wMsXFMEZw87YmerhtiH7A0zn4/s320/IMG_5538.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-41356760966434582042016-05-29T20:42:00.001-07:002016-05-29T20:42:26.284-07:00Star Wars Armada: The Empire Strikes Back<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHGFtMiAYWRIPSuhwnR1qWd7LmVvxBNGDSy8B7jF2XuXPwMCTGOuH_JuhOeqXNI6kF2cYDYGd8QDb3rA9hz_g0pp03Ty3yyXRVdHFKw3yF5hftZ5QC8QIH6tLbdN2KZHpcHVh1WzhAAc/s1600/star+destroyers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHGFtMiAYWRIPSuhwnR1qWd7LmVvxBNGDSy8B7jF2XuXPwMCTGOuH_JuhOeqXNI6kF2cYDYGd8QDb3rA9hz_g0pp03Ty3yyXRVdHFKw3yF5hftZ5QC8QIH6tLbdN2KZHpcHVh1WzhAAc/s1600/star+destroyers.jpg" /></a></div>
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I managed to squeeze in another game of Star Wars Armada last night. This time we had more ships, and now I was the "old hand" showing my friend how the game works. The game was a straightforward "free for all" between the two fleets. The Rebel fleet, consisting of two Nebulon B frigates, a Corelian cruiser and four squadrons of X-wings, had been collecting supplies at a remote star system when it ran into an Imperial force of two Star Destroyers, 6 squadrons of Tie Figthers and two squadrons of Tie Bombers.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje3z5P1-jDGDieNjTFScn-WGoOqYkj67ESnQsX6v3sCZNjl_S-PUq5CpG6rvEcWHKurZJ-Dbk3UH_6NdUjQzl4OwRmPzk3EsHuACEbc8EsKs73wSiQCqAETUWM7o-0oijfOfw99Kv0OjU/s1600/IMG_6902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje3z5P1-jDGDieNjTFScn-WGoOqYkj67ESnQsX6v3sCZNjl_S-PUq5CpG6rvEcWHKurZJ-Dbk3UH_6NdUjQzl4OwRmPzk3EsHuACEbc8EsKs73wSiQCqAETUWM7o-0oijfOfw99Kv0OjU/s320/IMG_6902.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Rebels started the battle by advancing rapidly and confidently. The Corelian corvette in the centre sped towards the hulking Star Destroyers at maximum speed. The Nebulon B frigate on its left advanced more slowly while the one on its right fanned to the right, starting a wide flanking manoeuvre. The Star Destroyers advanced slowly while the swarms of Tie Fighters hovered nearby, ready to speed towards the enemy.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyt6IQgD1-aVUa2bH2vAru89LwG8po7KHTS7YOtmvVry5t1J5J42Q7obkJX73DjXAm11YXLJNA2QkUy6M6i5Mhv1tTE2aHhKDTNWw8OlwNYB0Q6cjxZnMJVSlbrtdK2EE4TTYdlT4wNw/s1600/IMG_6904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyt6IQgD1-aVUa2bH2vAru89LwG8po7KHTS7YOtmvVry5t1J5J42Q7obkJX73DjXAm11YXLJNA2QkUy6M6i5Mhv1tTE2aHhKDTNWw8OlwNYB0Q6cjxZnMJVSlbrtdK2EE4TTYdlT4wNw/s320/IMG_6904.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Rebel's were soon to realize the folly of their battle plan, as the corvette came within range of both of the Star Destroyers short-range turbolasers. The devastating volleys raked the small ship, which rapidly lost its shields and started taking critical hits. The captain of the corvette panicked and veered to the right. This her second mistake, as the manoeuvre kept the small ship exposed to the withering fire for what seemed an eternity. Smelling blood, the two squadrons of Tie Bombers raced forward to finish their prey. A few proton torpedoes was all it took, and the rebel ship was no more.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0OxpFVtKVuWjdkvXXRwXveLDNQ8d1KLru1qPaCWd0RyOcQbenhGbiIAOGz6YQFO50L00_t18PZAkLSopWn8IXJMG6S6FfgoKOKowyomYNdFbLdYmVR4KkVw1_4PVAuJf5pCxu9DLM9ow/s1600/IMG_6905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0OxpFVtKVuWjdkvXXRwXveLDNQ8d1KLru1qPaCWd0RyOcQbenhGbiIAOGz6YQFO50L00_t18PZAkLSopWn8IXJMG6S6FfgoKOKowyomYNdFbLdYmVR4KkVw1_4PVAuJf5pCxu9DLM9ow/s320/IMG_6905.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The other flights of Tie Fighters also sped forward to engage the X-Wings. The Nebulon B frigates opened fire against the Star Destroyers and dropped some of their shields. However, the fire was too sporadic to have much of an effect.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVON1h9diIb4jysaKFnbWWbNb95Mq2Ol8eLnf7vIVahbjJHqTYBNhtndg9OE4bugjU9kTvY9g573ileM4q5iq4KqiO9j8spGKRrzZVwpUcf5l7KTMlAapRkVGka-0Tnq81wOVjxvKhZSw/s1600/IMG_6907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVON1h9diIb4jysaKFnbWWbNb95Mq2Ol8eLnf7vIVahbjJHqTYBNhtndg9OE4bugjU9kTvY9g573ileM4q5iq4KqiO9j8spGKRrzZVwpUcf5l7KTMlAapRkVGka-0Tnq81wOVjxvKhZSw/s320/IMG_6907.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Star Destroyers now turned their attention against the frigate that had advanced more slowly on the Rebel left. Once again, the concentrated Imperial fire was devastating. The Rebel ship passed between the two hulking behemoths, which pounded it from either side. The frigate floated on a little further, when it was suddenly wracked with internal explosions from its overheating reactors. Not many of the crew made it to their escape pods.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtw5RmzgDMWgXQcnVHComLD7J_WamWTDc9LZaYCphysKjbgT1qNM6NOQ-B6aajCxt1VFbroldRlMzSjSNeqmkjpndAYw1sRfe9OYibYYCYpkoMIPvRcOvwxzmSMgF4EBSmGvr1ml3tTPw/s1600/IMG_6908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtw5RmzgDMWgXQcnVHComLD7J_WamWTDc9LZaYCphysKjbgT1qNM6NOQ-B6aajCxt1VFbroldRlMzSjSNeqmkjpndAYw1sRfe9OYibYYCYpkoMIPvRcOvwxzmSMgF4EBSmGvr1ml3tTPw/s320/IMG_6908.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Star Destroyers started to turn about cumbersomely, as the remaining Rebel frigate came about on their rear. The manoeuvre brought the lumbering ships dangerously close and a crash seemed imminent. Claxons begun blaring and junior crew on the command deck exchanged nervous glances. Soon the danger passed though, and the Star Destroyers were re-aligned to take on the remaining Rebel ship. However, the Rebels had had enough of a beating for one day. With laser blasts whizzing by, the Rebel captain engaged his hyper drive. The battle was over.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-41131983844078698012016-05-26T14:59:00.000-07:002016-05-26T15:16:22.702-07:00Hôtel des Invalides: Relief map museum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So, I was in Paris last week. It was supposed to be a romantic trip with the missus (10 years anniversary of our engagement in Paris) but somehow I managed to escape for a few hours to the Hôtel des Invalides military museum. Incidentally, it was 10 years to the day that I visited this the last time. Coincidence? I think not.</div>
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Anyway, one of the highlights was the very special relief map collection of scale models that is housed in the attic. The models were built from 1668 onwards to help plan the defence of France's new borders under Louis XIV. The models were an excellent tool for developing the fortifications as well as for training soldiers to be stationed there and training the theory of siege craft to these same soldiers.</div>
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The models are "exact" replicas. Most are at 1:600 scale and, displaying the surrounding countryside, are quite huge (5 x 5 metres for example). I would just love to play a wargame or receive proper siege training on one of these tables.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDcCDsp3hXyBfmZ75JRn5VnsqOsDnrBn3GJxgL0hPemG-R3JnOrtbWkCuPoNeQOYT04cVW_pnD5i9Gu38vRPodbZOix9bfJstkLshJXk0catok8xmA0MXxoJZZgdHKjSUZEoPYtp_PME/s1600/IMG_5499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDcCDsp3hXyBfmZ75JRn5VnsqOsDnrBn3GJxgL0hPemG-R3JnOrtbWkCuPoNeQOYT04cVW_pnD5i9Gu38vRPodbZOix9bfJstkLshJXk0catok8xmA0MXxoJZZgdHKjSUZEoPYtp_PME/s320/IMG_5499.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toulon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bayonne</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bayonne</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Château Trompette (Bordeaux)</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhlBiqfnwS3dVbrmfr1u16aQitzE2cnmZFwwZfOPlEbFLF6JlPF9E2JB6zHHP5Cf01QtT7WnBRvhmsx76SzJPyYWt0GY1qX3mgBK1ewqhs7TsFcnc1-5OytM08SzzNr1Bnai_apJCWKo/s1600/IMG_5508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhlBiqfnwS3dVbrmfr1u16aQitzE2cnmZFwwZfOPlEbFLF6JlPF9E2JB6zHHP5Cf01QtT7WnBRvhmsx76SzJPyYWt0GY1qX3mgBK1ewqhs7TsFcnc1-5OytM08SzzNr1Bnai_apJCWKo/s320/IMG_5508.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOfMycoRkRraNnFycpsjsEajk3zwQ6gTTUqCg0G74i5DbeadMMooC0QVglEyXms9-W_19DK35T38OhxkuX__rG578NY0VY6BlFW-mbo9QYr5LETEAE-MkuRyPGaSpd2gTNSL5-MbsPQY/s1600/IMG_5509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOfMycoRkRraNnFycpsjsEajk3zwQ6gTTUqCg0G74i5DbeadMMooC0QVglEyXms9-W_19DK35T38OhxkuX__rG578NY0VY6BlFW-mbo9QYr5LETEAE-MkuRyPGaSpd2gTNSL5-MbsPQY/s320/IMG_5509.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fort de la Rade (Ile d'Aix)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fort de la Rade today</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The full gallery, depicting maybe 30 models of 100 preserved</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBC-7Ux8-cLPBTFew3AxhTGCxy0ZN2UwxJ6eIeDEOuney2T6i_5OsoFc1QhVLOvRvGFKJDoFCT-zoMqcaZ9DhuBEIAmPo52AtW17CkprAPRXAiR1jFzb9eiXk5_gZk_Z1N3b2O-qGSQxQ/s1600/IMG_5530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBC-7Ux8-cLPBTFew3AxhTGCxy0ZN2UwxJ6eIeDEOuney2T6i_5OsoFc1QhVLOvRvGFKJDoFCT-zoMqcaZ9DhuBEIAmPo52AtW17CkprAPRXAiR1jFzb9eiXk5_gZk_Z1N3b2O-qGSQxQ/s320/IMG_5530.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tools and materials used to make the models</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The museum also had an excellent series of models to display the process of a besieging army making its approach, bombardment and final approach against a "trace italienne" type modern fortress. This awesome series of models depicted hundreds of approximately 6mm (1:300) miniatures in the process of besieging or defending a fortress.<br />
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<b>Stage 1:</b> The army establishes its camp and builds fortified lines of circumvallation and contravallation 2.400 metres from the fortress (outside artillery range). These defensive works are established to guard against assaults from within the fortress or from a relieving army.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUif4FQZtYbhOmxy7H6B4XcdtOl5NJi3MRUNmAmLe3QVG_MdQKfB1NF4W0J2deYdbwUHbpEA84l6RDQN4AkLds-QdkLNkKAdxTBzFeNyWnkI7SoeHcwr2Cijw-vANGKamum3LMaMGwYp4/s1600/IMG_5514.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUif4FQZtYbhOmxy7H6B4XcdtOl5NJi3MRUNmAmLe3QVG_MdQKfB1NF4W0J2deYdbwUHbpEA84l6RDQN4AkLds-QdkLNkKAdxTBzFeNyWnkI7SoeHcwr2Cijw-vANGKamum3LMaMGwYp4/s320/IMG_5514.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Stage 2:</b> The besiegers make zig-zagging approach trenches against he points of bastions (to minimize the effect of defensive artillery). At 600 metres these trenches are joined with a trench called the first parallel (parallel to the the fortress wall). Siege artillery is brought forward.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAPLM7oitacxeQSjTm2-hbtsYkkAdd8_fij7dwGpLOvSdrYpvwp8tHMA4gRVFGX3DGusWFxTOIm9kYN-db_g5SQUu1pWRM9xJOcOtcrRLjKfYn2eJLIXN_axs6hfycQUW31LObDTnOU4/s1600/IMG_5516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAPLM7oitacxeQSjTm2-hbtsYkkAdd8_fij7dwGpLOvSdrYpvwp8tHMA4gRVFGX3DGusWFxTOIm9kYN-db_g5SQUu1pWRM9xJOcOtcrRLjKfYn2eJLIXN_axs6hfycQUW31LObDTnOU4/s320/IMG_5516.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Stage 3:</b> The approach continues as before with zig-zagging approach trenches. The work is carried out only during night time as the defender's artillery is already quite effective at this range. 350 metres from the walls a second parallel is created and the siege artillery is brought to this level. Additional "demi-parallels" are created to bring more guns to bear at the breaching point(s) from various angles.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZtFo0p8Vc76IN3xtY1dz_Bm-IPcLMQroSEH5m9fY8w245Xmj64ScICTs_DcrqdbDEwT8Ixlx95V4qhXRYTUURVZ5MraEcSI90oRPlFjkgUCW3nIn4XDNzRc0lQi10cDo0mMf2p1NOaA/s1600/IMG_5518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZtFo0p8Vc76IN3xtY1dz_Bm-IPcLMQroSEH5m9fY8w245Xmj64ScICTs_DcrqdbDEwT8Ixlx95V4qhXRYTUURVZ5MraEcSI90oRPlFjkgUCW3nIn4XDNzRc0lQi10cDo0mMf2p1NOaA/s320/IMG_5518.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Stage 4:</b> The approach continues up to the glacis, just 40 metres from the fortress. Assault positions are prepared and other preparations are made for the forthcoming attack by grenadiers against the breach.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJijSXRDLJ8rNtQowVW4Cse13QMtHXuG9kwg0zFu4Q8PLUmMze1h9gF_kveH-xP6mWlLhxFC9NZpOoCtbTMlUbFGv71n9zRSmQ-gHPSpbDXhnCEf-vNY86RuGh-KpePomJL6NQMhrzvD0/s1600/IMG_5520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJijSXRDLJ8rNtQowVW4Cse13QMtHXuG9kwg0zFu4Q8PLUmMze1h9gF_kveH-xP6mWlLhxFC9NZpOoCtbTMlUbFGv71n9zRSmQ-gHPSpbDXhnCEf-vNY86RuGh-KpePomJL6NQMhrzvD0/s320/IMG_5520.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Stage 5:</b> Grenadiers capture the demi-lune (outerwork) by storm and heavy guns are brought forward. A heavy bombardment pins down the defenders and makes a breach on the inner works (that has thus far been sheltered from bombardment by the demi-lune). The besiegers start to prepare an assault ramp against the breach, which both facilitates the assault and shelters from fire from the flanks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihbaYHtP9Q-XxBv33g_D9ec3dfRTrEa7XLJ29RFzLN-wRVEujNyqyVbpJVOak2EYWn392uT9ZmUP0LOWWZYzfJWZzFwTde-eSaGedupcaOPnpNOq5OevyNz8RZHpGTfDvFb5-w7CN6Y4/s1600/IMG_5523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihbaYHtP9Q-XxBv33g_D9ec3dfRTrEa7XLJ29RFzLN-wRVEujNyqyVbpJVOak2EYWn392uT9ZmUP0LOWWZYzfJWZzFwTde-eSaGedupcaOPnpNOq5OevyNz8RZHpGTfDvFb5-w7CN6Y4/s320/IMG_5523.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Stage 6:</b> The defenders usually surrender at this point, but if they don't the point of assault undergoes a thorough bombardment. If the besiegers still don't surrender after this has been effected, the besiegers will assault the fortress, with little quarter given.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWo0DOkES-VJ61_p0UeyG-VTWCVVt0NViEWXnUq664EE3yKE5OoWdcGqelPK7O7q478d4v1_wmnJxjCb-u8f6OU05Q6NjQAGQn56T0m0wYK4W4X_g_c9mz5gn8pLxJqjOwHEOBrOd32X8/s1600/IMG_5525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWo0DOkES-VJ61_p0UeyG-VTWCVVt0NViEWXnUq664EE3yKE5OoWdcGqelPK7O7q478d4v1_wmnJxjCb-u8f6OU05Q6NjQAGQn56T0m0wYK4W4X_g_c9mz5gn8pLxJqjOwHEOBrOd32X8/s320/IMG_5525.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrpx4_joEgFMTwTMlfHuqCtahHgzUgTskvZ_8X4_liWnWeuYFP47VqfzL0v8FIXOMXtQI1OLsCvF6HXAh0xsCC6ZqPq1UX6l-zkA8HU-K0fEqJLIRWWJshT7_JM7vnb7xOS82etUB75Q/s1600/IMG_5528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrpx4_joEgFMTwTMlfHuqCtahHgzUgTskvZ_8X4_liWnWeuYFP47VqfzL0v8FIXOMXtQI1OLsCvF6HXAh0xsCC6ZqPq1UX6l-zkA8HU-K0fEqJLIRWWJshT7_JM7vnb7xOS82etUB75Q/s320/IMG_5528.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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For some reference and perspective, here's some pictures and a report from last year's visit to Rocroi: a model example of one of these modern artillery fortifications.<br />
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https://napoleon-complex-gaming.blogspot.com.ee/2015/09/battlefield-tourism-rocroi.html<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxjeZSNQF2lksaSWtaJ0mMT3OaLue9xOqwU3VYFfxcTUbxVf-7IsMQ-WAPLx7bP_CG6enCbTuWWzCTgXk5gdnMVq5PFsnaef6IM3OHUNw42N0ezOvNdMqRPcmnjwJzOgtFMIR_fIhCOLo/s320/IMG_2678.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of Rocroi's bastions as viewed from the demi-lune (imagine assaulting that!)</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-4931437489116627882016-05-17T23:28:00.001-07:002016-05-17T23:28:43.285-07:001631: Empire in Flames<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZGqQrbdso_Upp_wgoHn79SogkN1JVEyA51Nbkt1Ej7D3rZJo-sKNAY3hebVzu5SwBh4Z9Mvvi0spf63wgG3nXrkNO07k2neC7A1OjZDDtNHGpt7OPDySytOdk6szQ2TROwkZT_EyZjA/s1600/IMG_8055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZGqQrbdso_Upp_wgoHn79SogkN1JVEyA51Nbkt1Ej7D3rZJo-sKNAY3hebVzu5SwBh4Z9Mvvi0spf63wgG3nXrkNO07k2neC7A1OjZDDtNHGpt7OPDySytOdk6szQ2TROwkZT_EyZjA/s320/IMG_8055.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My precious</td></tr>
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Hot off the press, I hold in my hands my first commercially published wargame, <b>1631: Empire in Flames</b>. The game is a culmination of two years' work and is published and distributed by French gaming magazine <b><a href="http://www.vaevictismag.fr/en/special-game-issue/79-vaevictis-n127-game-issue-empire-in-flammes-1631.html">VaeVictis</a></b>, who are also responsible for the superb graphics.<br />
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The game is a two-player operational level wargame set during the Thirty Years War. 1631 was one of the pivotal years of that long and gruesome war, during which the Swedes under Gustav Adolf overwhelmeed the Imperial armies sent against them and managed to gain control of most of northern Germany. The campaign was dominated by the drama of the siege and subsequent sack of Magdeburg and culminated in the battle of Breitenfeld, which ended in a resounding Swedish victory.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRlQSa65iqVjLPr2nj6PNZadHE6Kd6HLfpo27kM7fDI3g3L8-UTV7pVqUZGxkxbj8Npr-02vLgbgWqypqLRoYEoQNw7VW6C3F3PiySiqrVD54tShzzyWk9jYnxFKbKZTngYEtNmg0Kw1Y/s1600/IMG_8056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRlQSa65iqVjLPr2nj6PNZadHE6Kd6HLfpo27kM7fDI3g3L8-UTV7pVqUZGxkxbj8Npr-02vLgbgWqypqLRoYEoQNw7VW6C3F3PiySiqrVD54tShzzyWk9jYnxFKbKZTngYEtNmg0Kw1Y/s320/IMG_8056.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The game comes with issue 127 of VaeVictis</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrvF4dm1TtY8DxSCcL7yDuGEMEWHIH8tJ0b7GF7JCRJLInQbxVACllBMk3_fW-9iMTRwSb9FMdFqrx2oa8ujLsOU19m0B-eVkzf_LAjlve4boTsgP-rgjSwkqY_UXW-T1_xLKPY0zf2I/s1600/IMG_8057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrvF4dm1TtY8DxSCcL7yDuGEMEWHIH8tJ0b7GF7JCRJLInQbxVACllBMk3_fW-9iMTRwSb9FMdFqrx2oa8ujLsOU19m0B-eVkzf_LAjlve4boTsgP-rgjSwkqY_UXW-T1_xLKPY0zf2I/s320/IMG_8057.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Counters</td></tr>
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<h4>
Objectives</h4>
The Imperial defenders are caught off-guard in 1631 both militarily and politically. Imperial forces are in a sorry state, dispersed and weakened, which makes it difficult for them to counter the Swedes' initial advance. Massive reinforcements are on the way though, and skillful Fabian tactics followed by a counter-attack should halt the Swedish invasion before it snowballs out of control.<br />
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The Swedes' main objective is to gain an alliance with the powerful electorates of Brandenburg and Saxony - protestant powers that are initially neutral in the struggle but which might eventually join the Lion of the North, at least if he shows himself capable. Ultimately, the Swedes are seeking to penetrate deep south into the Imperial heartlands, which is represented in the game by awarding victory points for Swedish units that move into various strategic areas (Silesia and Franconia being the most important targets).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnafnxqOKheZZR4cO0Tpgiiy23EO5kVfCsXpvNeM9JjSWwWXGSaoGo1xT4aVqB0OPXPVvc6P9V8h4Tk_kTMe6nmQDm-2zQotpoysDm46ou1Z2ycSjY9jc8ocYjinpUOJsg45cjm8EImnE/s1600/Les_mis%25C3%25A8res_et_les_malheurs_de_la_guerre_-_02_-_L%2527enr%25C3%25B4lement_des_troupes+%25282%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnafnxqOKheZZR4cO0Tpgiiy23EO5kVfCsXpvNeM9JjSWwWXGSaoGo1xT4aVqB0OPXPVvc6P9V8h4Tk_kTMe6nmQDm-2zQotpoysDm46ou1Z2ycSjY9jc8ocYjinpUOJsg45cjm8EImnE/s320/Les_mis%25C3%25A8res_et_les_malheurs_de_la_guerre_-_02_-_L%2527enr%25C3%25B4lement_des_troupes+%25282%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacques Callot - The Enlistment of Troops (1633)</td></tr>
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<h4>
Basic mechanics</h4>
Each game turn represents a month in real time, during which the players take alternate actions to move individual armies, regroup or pursue diplomatic negotiations. One player has the initiative, which gives a massive advantage as that player can conduct one more action and (in all likelihood) conduct two consecutive manoeuvres. The game takes about three hours to play and is of "medium complexity".<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWfoDcZ8sPmL-uDZqEcwG4tNrXljCqN6hGCd17n585rNMRPxG4NdfB71U-Hg6F-e4Sjyrli1R-B4kAC8Ry_MlWBv14ty3XQ6LdVD3F2svE_LhxpsbF18KNg2sbKe-QQR02cH7eLBelMo/s1600/map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWfoDcZ8sPmL-uDZqEcwG4tNrXljCqN6hGCd17n585rNMRPxG4NdfB71U-Hg6F-e4Sjyrli1R-B4kAC8Ry_MlWBv14ty3XQ6LdVD3F2svE_LhxpsbF18KNg2sbKe-QQR02cH7eLBelMo/s320/map.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map</td></tr>
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Following historical precedent, the game revolves around control of cities and resources. Rivers play a major role as they can only be crossed via friendly cities and the defender can easily repel any attempted crossings with inferior forces. On the other hand, moving an army along the length of a river is much easier, which enables an army to move and attack further if moving along rivers.<br />
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The combat mechanics are simple, yet capture the nature of various tactical situations and emphasize the different roles of infantry, cavalry and artillery. The defender is at an advantage, as defenders gain bonuses in combat and are able to avoid battle by evading or bring up reinforcements with an intercept move. The attacker will also be slowed down with the necessity of capturing the enemy's strongholds.<br />
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I wanted to represent the "high stakes" nature of battles and explain the sudden collapse of armies in certain situations with the victory conditions of combats. Units that are "spent" (have suffered losses, have not been supplied properly, etc.) fight almost as well as fresh units but lack their staying power. Battlefield victory is more about staying power than damage inflicted, which is why it is a liability to fight with an army comprising mostly of spent units. Such an army will also be more likely to rout, turning an otherwise minor defeat into a catastrophic affair.<br />
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<h4>
Attrition - theme of the game</h4>
During the Thirty Years' War, most of the belligerents were fighting a war they could not possibly afford and, even if they could, poor logistics would ruin their plans more often than the enemy. In <i>1631: Empire in Flames</i> both sides are struggling with the problem of how to supply their forces. The commanders must balance between concentrating their forces to overwhelm the enemy, and spreading them out to facilitate logistics. Armies can't remain in the same place too long lest they run out of supplies. On the other hand, defeat is not final as losses can be slowly replenished by recruiting more mercenaries.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQSq6Znh9RlNhGNWOXQlRVMb_ct8ueQxdFOFJ8NKfQhaGsSgnFLgzCBB-yJ8OL0NBCvyBS4z5z75Fhp_RC-tcI95KNF_CIiKbJQe2pVa9GPLvdlMKXJM52Xaqb_avfdhpMLvuFC5JkE4/s1600/The_Hanging_by_Jacques_Callot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQSq6Znh9RlNhGNWOXQlRVMb_ct8ueQxdFOFJ8NKfQhaGsSgnFLgzCBB-yJ8OL0NBCvyBS4z5z75Fhp_RC-tcI95KNF_CIiKbJQe2pVa9GPLvdlMKXJM52Xaqb_avfdhpMLvuFC5JkE4/s320/The_Hanging_by_Jacques_Callot.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's not a happy war (Jacques Callot - The Hanging (1633))</td></tr>
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<h4>
Why did I make this game?</h4>
This game started off as a university project, which then took on a life of its own. Making this game was a fun way to combine my hobby with my academic work of research in the field of early modern military history. I chose to concentrate on the operational level for several reasons. Firstly, this is the level at which early modern generals normally operated and at which campaigns (and often wars themselves) were won or lost. I find this topic immensely interesting and fun to play, reserving the tactical level gaming to be done with miniatures and a different mindset.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0gDJA6sOB1_R_a2cF8sUkXJ5c42u0F9IwmLdrtpy-OkR44JF7rRYggZ9GjQrGaWHOwIfPr9fwl1y4J-rPMXukjvFmtBAPef4vtCQvSZtzgFLPJTmnMapar8ooI-gGPbbRYhyphenhyphenaJ6_lOY/s1600/test+of+game.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0gDJA6sOB1_R_a2cF8sUkXJ5c42u0F9IwmLdrtpy-OkR44JF7rRYggZ9GjQrGaWHOwIfPr9fwl1y4J-rPMXukjvFmtBAPef4vtCQvSZtzgFLPJTmnMapar8ooI-gGPbbRYhyphenhyphenaJ6_lOY/s320/test+of+game.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My biggest challenge with making this game was to find a balance between complexity and playability (including ease of learning the rules and speed of play). I had to leave out a number of elements, such as, such as the possibility to recruit enemies captured in the field or further rules for lines of communication. A more complex representation of the nuances of the "neutral" state of Brandenburg and Saxony during the 1631 campaign had to be left out as well. However, in many ways "less is more" holds true and rigorous play testing plus the view of "new people" helped me focus on the most important aspects and get the balance right. I am quite pleased with the end result, which is the type of game I like to play.<br />
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<h4>
How do I buy the game?</h4>
The game can be purchased via VaeVictis at http://www.vaevictismag.fr/en/special-game-issue/79-vaevictis-n127-game-issue-empire-in-flammes-1631.htmlAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-64407424775794408732016-05-14T15:28:00.000-07:002016-05-14T15:28:37.135-07:00Battlefield tourism: Copenhagen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A day in Copenhagen, what better way to spend it than visiting military sites and museums? </div>
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Some time ago I was off doing archival research in Lund and, due to poor planning I had an extra day in Copenhagen. I decided to spend it by walking inspecting the old ramparts of the city, where the Swedish under Karl X Gustav made a failed assault in February 1659. The fortifications at Christianshavn (the outpost at "12 o'clock" in the map below) were still in pretty good condition and I had a look at them from both the ground and by climbing a church tower to survey them from up high (as one does). The 1659 attack aimed at this section was mainly just a diversion, but with the area of the main attacks mostly built up nowadays, this was the best I could aim for.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkOjTwV8tBbIsAdXiWAezKvHLQPDa5eIna-0fApZlzVBEicLoIbU40rLmc_3yb3sdC1g5ICBTAO9F8o-qoz_SX-9dafntY28Avz1RA0pw0tzU6wX7oYMTjkdRMDVVIlTTwABYC47jqr0/s1600/IMG_7535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkOjTwV8tBbIsAdXiWAezKvHLQPDa5eIna-0fApZlzVBEicLoIbU40rLmc_3yb3sdC1g5ICBTAO9F8o-qoz_SX-9dafntY28Avz1RA0pw0tzU6wX7oYMTjkdRMDVVIlTTwABYC47jqr0/s320/IMG_7535.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View towards Christianshavn from a bell tower</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkJEh_ID4RlpHK8-ufsqPn9bjRqgUPxySFLceLpHOHtyIOKj4e1UFamfnfUZIHWi_hG2nYrMCPEVvOMM8xagJsGL8bBFDa6yOwZpUoUFugd6Pxckg7gaEVwHfLeZQPQzqSyHf4kbZsJs/s1600/IMG_7540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkJEh_ID4RlpHK8-ufsqPn9bjRqgUPxySFLceLpHOHtyIOKj4e1UFamfnfUZIHWi_hG2nYrMCPEVvOMM8xagJsGL8bBFDa6yOwZpUoUFugd6Pxckg7gaEVwHfLeZQPQzqSyHf4kbZsJs/s320/IMG_7540.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1659 defences. The Swedes' main attack was aimed at the bay to the north-east of the city (1.30 o'clock).</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cool playground on the ramparts, which have been turned into a recreational area. I would have loved to play here with my kids!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYVl5yH4WqTyXzluqgRikD7vZ3Aa_uzzgxBiw1B9AUFxYeO7vUccFN1Xh9ykpgEVzWsY4IB4VlLcsuFdm1GXgkAh0fmzIF_mDva-j5Lq3NbGygH0tUs1OZ2WtbP34mqA9BvA4A56N-Ms/s1600/IMG_7547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYVl5yH4WqTyXzluqgRikD7vZ3Aa_uzzgxBiw1B9AUFxYeO7vUccFN1Xh9ykpgEVzWsY4IB4VlLcsuFdm1GXgkAh0fmzIF_mDva-j5Lq3NbGygH0tUs1OZ2WtbP34mqA9BvA4A56N-Ms/s320/IMG_7547.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern edge of the Christianshavn defences.</td></tr>
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I continued my visit by going to the royal armoury. I was mostly interested in the 17th century stuff and, although most of this section was closed, I was happy to see some of the more rare stuff they had around.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwmJSu70ooaQB3JHUG3O7cm6fUtvI8LPwMqFQwxb_tDkXfMnAoIYe1Q02ycnwa9rmvNrZm_sl2PpHmwrdhOUytl2qCWa0k9oXFNmgeEG-gnmlPEy85N7oQfqA_7sZvu_srW1tN5j3_k6E/s1600/IMG_7555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwmJSu70ooaQB3JHUG3O7cm6fUtvI8LPwMqFQwxb_tDkXfMnAoIYe1Q02ycnwa9rmvNrZm_sl2PpHmwrdhOUytl2qCWa0k9oXFNmgeEG-gnmlPEy85N7oQfqA_7sZvu_srW1tN5j3_k6E/s320/IMG_7555.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First the "playground cannon" and now this! The Danes have very warlike playgrounds for their kids.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2MlwqIDIKGkZxt-C8YUV4b6jkhPZuDwMaQABrkwyrV-PMEaqGtruPdbuidB9XrhtfPXtvcTUYdEbuA-aZUgVBrEUEfwr-ObdtXA-LSgpfLBfQTA3aWY-O1_XQDpX-Naxe23a2Qj9ypo/s1600/IMG_7556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2MlwqIDIKGkZxt-C8YUV4b6jkhPZuDwMaQABrkwyrV-PMEaqGtruPdbuidB9XrhtfPXtvcTUYdEbuA-aZUgVBrEUEfwr-ObdtXA-LSgpfLBfQTA3aWY-O1_XQDpX-Naxe23a2Qj9ypo/s320/IMG_7556.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captured artillery outside the royal arsenal</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CEGMMVhJeAJnStu88wYlLb__RZrnkeZ4D9NRshMaIcjOVN_X8W1LAadGK3-bJHLwgdEDTTAuguJAht3fBKvgiasZ9f8er0bxCujWBWIpwftm4pYIp48qx_v29x_E9_DYusO203pmVU8/s1600/IMG_7557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CEGMMVhJeAJnStu88wYlLb__RZrnkeZ4D9NRshMaIcjOVN_X8W1LAadGK3-bJHLwgdEDTTAuguJAht3fBKvgiasZ9f8er0bxCujWBWIpwftm4pYIp48qx_v29x_E9_DYusO203pmVU8/s320/IMG_7557.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Danes seem optimistic about capturing more guns in the future!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZbugsG0b1PL0BlfiOs5Ad_im85p6Bw-Ohqh2B-7-7jUXXL4oXimskptf2lFhsV-Ep1te8YSoHmCJNhXeCMwxRYHlQdpEoVu0lsr7gUWMgf18CR0suNv2TmNyN_ejxMlT4XCMt-RM6MWQ/s1600/IMG_7558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZbugsG0b1PL0BlfiOs5Ad_im85p6Bw-Ohqh2B-7-7jUXXL4oXimskptf2lFhsV-Ep1te8YSoHmCJNhXeCMwxRYHlQdpEoVu0lsr7gUWMgf18CR0suNv2TmNyN_ejxMlT4XCMt-RM6MWQ/s320/IMG_7558.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main hall of the armoury</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_Gr26zBDnTj2IsZ9VLt0LEWnMwClWqxUt2sRb_8E-soSkJi3Sr3FttwIVa6E8UuI_sbJRKj3FSmls6GMdieE6ETibK-rjL6kYk8cDLxMNY6frhUDt3aRwSj5T1XDYxSdk72ZWF9o6Rw/s1600/IMG_7559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_Gr26zBDnTj2IsZ9VLt0LEWnMwClWqxUt2sRb_8E-soSkJi3Sr3FttwIVa6E8UuI_sbJRKj3FSmls6GMdieE6ETibK-rjL6kYk8cDLxMNY6frhUDt3aRwSj5T1XDYxSdk72ZWF9o6Rw/s320/IMG_7559.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medieval bombards cast in segments and joined together with hoops.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMrarCixyUJth0kEqmOErRSWk2YhCk6YMb2-BgOj_YdXFSvDqM32JUGKbXj_MQryaxO7zQxRo4U-W6ExgtRaYZ7BOdPZMFPdm8ZFGukwQcoO8EL0k_fJoxnK0PGlZzJ4efvSGyW0l0rI/s1600/IMG_7563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMrarCixyUJth0kEqmOErRSWk2YhCk6YMb2-BgOj_YdXFSvDqM32JUGKbXj_MQryaxO7zQxRo4U-W6ExgtRaYZ7BOdPZMFPdm8ZFGukwQcoO8EL0k_fJoxnK0PGlZzJ4efvSGyW0l0rI/s320/IMG_7563.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">27 pdr demi-cannon given by Christian IV as a gift to the duke of Oldenburg.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2oL47tmK7rhVGEJC8Q0m-haCx2AK98jKh2BWmLpVIzy-HedDRt9K8uqOHUjjcNKqGJjY_R6TnRzRFKKr733tcyMQ_X1kVT1fS3JDVViGgNOU4yoIJ3_yddARspDwchGa6BQsWafZJQwg/s1600/IMG_7564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2oL47tmK7rhVGEJC8Q0m-haCx2AK98jKh2BWmLpVIzy-HedDRt9K8uqOHUjjcNKqGJjY_R6TnRzRFKKr733tcyMQ_X1kVT1fS3JDVViGgNOU4yoIJ3_yddARspDwchGa6BQsWafZJQwg/s320/IMG_7564.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The masterfully cast barrel shows the family tree of the Oldenburgs, including blazons and all!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXidegXjDnWbVpMzpM9KP-cheDc6Bn1KN5hnVh75rYuSaOzmW8jxAa3Q4ueOlrns4eFqvTvaM9DtYZ_HLIPkL3sFhm64qrXv_jG3gRdprsu8vYJTByWuyrYMvEY0-ku9OLbb12FwCWDFo/s1600/IMG_7566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXidegXjDnWbVpMzpM9KP-cheDc6Bn1KN5hnVh75rYuSaOzmW8jxAa3Q4ueOlrns4eFqvTvaM9DtYZ_HLIPkL3sFhm64qrXv_jG3gRdprsu8vYJTByWuyrYMvEY0-ku9OLbb12FwCWDFo/s320/IMG_7566.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An exceptionally long culverin called "Strong Samson" (16th - 17th century)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFrpO55G67R4LYa7hMIpJsWKBpvqZeiyfk-NDdOwR-s8qIvwevKTwOeKR8NVV3kMi3Tu8YeAN7nGt8-plttI-nVft9qLAbfGUHRNqlDRwwQjoehue3sBTjiavDLSuPuxaxOt9Na7VmxE/s1600/IMG_7567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFrpO55G67R4LYa7hMIpJsWKBpvqZeiyfk-NDdOwR-s8qIvwevKTwOeKR8NVV3kMi3Tu8YeAN7nGt8-plttI-nVft9qLAbfGUHRNqlDRwwQjoehue3sBTjiavDLSuPuxaxOt9Na7VmxE/s320/IMG_7567.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">16th cenutry back loading piece (3/4 pound) with a gunshield</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgVQlumYpE5rLgscO6nnFPiJNypuTjs_zCSyhYEKj9MjvAbWrZbZ4hytK0Eqh_-SGZaZ5_p3zkvfUDWisDS6bldn0PQxd87UYBZgHzVZUO9b3yecXMP-TZHXPPxOkbekmfpWP1wwY1tA/s1600/IMG_7569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgVQlumYpE5rLgscO6nnFPiJNypuTjs_zCSyhYEKj9MjvAbWrZbZ4hytK0Eqh_-SGZaZ5_p3zkvfUDWisDS6bldn0PQxd87UYBZgHzVZUO9b3yecXMP-TZHXPPxOkbekmfpWP1wwY1tA/s320/IMG_7569.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Petards (for breaching gates)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXE-mclL0WH8kbxzF18pMinmfDVOSsjpwxNhirsVTTTJJpj-yQvIzSz4gZwBk52G5eOUsVOkcw7ijELma-9fblHotoiteGzJRN53o5TdTTEauhkQa1c_N6lGFqupLcozLo1suXVTqnLQk/s1600/IMG_7583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXE-mclL0WH8kbxzF18pMinmfDVOSsjpwxNhirsVTTTJJpj-yQvIzSz4gZwBk52G5eOUsVOkcw7ijELma-9fblHotoiteGzJRN53o5TdTTEauhkQa1c_N6lGFqupLcozLo1suXVTqnLQk/s320/IMG_7583.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">50 pound (!) mortars from the 17th century</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMvHxx5l1bVd8c37RiQNmMewr3AFyprPFOYCOL7mtcLCeo3DTh5W4XcJGYKUbfTq62l0gD0OK2YJXMw8IYUz-uyvrtacMX3yt48SrgWL4cnkPxt9f4FRy2fhyphenhyphencceL1jdClRgIGVw2voVI/s1600/IMG_7587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMvHxx5l1bVd8c37RiQNmMewr3AFyprPFOYCOL7mtcLCeo3DTh5W4XcJGYKUbfTq62l0gD0OK2YJXMw8IYUz-uyvrtacMX3yt48SrgWL4cnkPxt9f4FRy2fhyphenhyphencceL1jdClRgIGVw2voVI/s320/IMG_7587.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portable light mortar (17th century)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Xfcnd8S9iwWLx306krIHHo_JjXVsa3liAF1B9_bRBhRFpvtrmVKHHRdaiFj3KSDYBbXfmFo3MeGE1XUePJ-YX9x9_bN76dlRlMhdJkfBxgjtiD1_qtjR8KM-stt43LsNNvhm9RDVYQ8/s1600/IMG_7585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Xfcnd8S9iwWLx306krIHHo_JjXVsa3liAF1B9_bRBhRFpvtrmVKHHRdaiFj3KSDYBbXfmFo3MeGE1XUePJ-YX9x9_bN76dlRlMhdJkfBxgjtiD1_qtjR8KM-stt43LsNNvhm9RDVYQ8/s320/IMG_7585.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ammo rack for a ship</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM15hTh5sB05ttZc-LfkTYZYawGNb-fSpfmnQxGR_UG2rjz43GySOklH7S9rqehOr86gW2AWMsHZ7on_00j5zPpciBO6_q35BRBEjp-TyHUB47rcyTXHmtotcHSXN19M11fWNO-sovIz0/s1600/IMG_7589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM15hTh5sB05ttZc-LfkTYZYawGNb-fSpfmnQxGR_UG2rjz43GySOklH7S9rqehOr86gW2AWMsHZ7on_00j5zPpciBO6_q35BRBEjp-TyHUB47rcyTXHmtotcHSXN19M11fWNO-sovIz0/s320/IMG_7589.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">17th century artillery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIORc_y5LxY-q2VuLV5CUKtawpWmEd3VAd4GZllh6VpNdo67UgbIK2uIQG2Zn7VIdvvl7rEZ1nMxTtnHOjUzSvq0JLH6SQ8yQmSXTNKsoJf3KzHBv1xFrYO80RoRQWLMT80MAtZRZtU-Y/s1600/IMG_7577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIORc_y5LxY-q2VuLV5CUKtawpWmEd3VAd4GZllh6VpNdo67UgbIK2uIQG2Zn7VIdvvl7rEZ1nMxTtnHOjUzSvq0JLH6SQ8yQmSXTNKsoJf3KzHBv1xFrYO80RoRQWLMT80MAtZRZtU-Y/s320/IMG_7577.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Housing to keep match dry (and possibly burning during bad weather)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMXs8-OhYwkwH5Lw0xMBM4fOQ6nHh-nZbK_wtpgGIZWzTNrPC-B0e9EV-kFa7dNOaI0yq2ngWXxExc9mlXOHKDkPCkUa8LJKYZ30kp8uj05whMMt-i97zDYSKUNlIIsSCGLwBauMbGXMw/s1600/IMG_7571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMXs8-OhYwkwH5Lw0xMBM4fOQ6nHh-nZbK_wtpgGIZWzTNrPC-B0e9EV-kFa7dNOaI0yq2ngWXxExc9mlXOHKDkPCkUa8LJKYZ30kp8uj05whMMt-i97zDYSKUNlIIsSCGLwBauMbGXMw/s320/IMG_7571.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1933 tank by Vickers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf32COsbH5aVOhnwE2n6SmOIUh721y_jpUmjbV_10NCX_V2bgxNFAKAMMGeFzpF62GznIwbWtOZ60YjLLJMHqbZFMnjepHDhoC9XzzDNRfsqMBdb-gSzM1iiQQa5IDZDSJPzBMdwL4QFk/s1600/IMG_7575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf32COsbH5aVOhnwE2n6SmOIUh721y_jpUmjbV_10NCX_V2bgxNFAKAMMGeFzpF62GznIwbWtOZ60YjLLJMHqbZFMnjepHDhoC9XzzDNRfsqMBdb-gSzM1iiQQa5IDZDSJPzBMdwL4QFk/s320/IMG_7575.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">19th century portable bunker</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAP-s2NZS2Cu1DeUZgTd5vcZSQkm5dviJZQg9AB55PqmUYzonkRst1j1m0mORprrSOycJFn5-Yu5wCnrnTKRj6Op0fYrUe59QYCeHTPKZdSOn-OwWCdDGqK3jSeaoh1xT0z-XNHm3sYc/s1600/IMG_7562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAP-s2NZS2Cu1DeUZgTd5vcZSQkm5dviJZQg9AB55PqmUYzonkRst1j1m0mORprrSOycJFn5-Yu5wCnrnTKRj6Op0fYrUe59QYCeHTPKZdSOn-OwWCdDGqK3jSeaoh1xT0z-XNHm3sYc/s320/IMG_7562.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WW2 German Goliath demolition carrier</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrT5CsOK7RrU2TaQ6TBb9GzBuKTM12PRMs2kH8-UGhGbfzA4o4WWpI-09Ceq56uXuPtIYuJboArdD6nhSHwI_oCeQLivzfUCswTW1b_Tod9nrMkgwsCwmrk9nXYoOhl0IqJysUC7giHU/s1600/IMG_7590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrT5CsOK7RrU2TaQ6TBb9GzBuKTM12PRMs2kH8-UGhGbfzA4o4WWpI-09Ceq56uXuPtIYuJboArdD6nhSHwI_oCeQLivzfUCswTW1b_Tod9nrMkgwsCwmrk9nXYoOhl0IqJysUC7giHU/s320/IMG_7590.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">V1</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Finally, I visited the National Museum of Denmark. The museum had a lot of really nice stuff about sacrifices and tombs found from the pre-historic period, but I was a bit disappointed at how small the Viking section was.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkc-V3tcBNo8Qh340bATtaHnLkc02M9OlIMuYfl5lvbE686kj3Ka4_nhxWUzOTKKSfdswNX-Tqh9RDUkS3TjNTB3Vkj6tra2Vvclb4G91ciMbdfYGa50-YQ_x4BYo-zm5DeZJGlvKUn5U/s1600/IMG_7591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkc-V3tcBNo8Qh340bATtaHnLkc02M9OlIMuYfl5lvbE686kj3Ka4_nhxWUzOTKKSfdswNX-Tqh9RDUkS3TjNTB3Vkj6tra2Vvclb4G91ciMbdfYGa50-YQ_x4BYo-zm5DeZJGlvKUn5U/s320/IMG_7591.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meteoric iron from Greenland that has been used to make tools</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgK9rVaMcbtnwNd1frOjQJBkotx268Ghyphenhyphenukjryby5CWiaikuFJ3bvozg5B-L2XaXGXDTK4-js6wgjbwUUqn7pmVp8hopqGBu5N6p5hYpQpmt7W5I8ckUx3URXlcBQVMsqdudMqzvyf7E/s1600/IMG_7595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgK9rVaMcbtnwNd1frOjQJBkotx268Ghyphenhyphenukjryby5CWiaikuFJ3bvozg5B-L2XaXGXDTK4-js6wgjbwUUqn7pmVp8hopqGBu5N6p5hYpQpmt7W5I8ckUx3URXlcBQVMsqdudMqzvyf7E/s320/IMG_7595.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lot of runic stones were on display</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-29juLc2VfmQSAS_rVYWe_QQ7pTQIWpV1dSVI2yxzklWQKxIf6jiQqa21K5Sfd2HRZkgmBkp3doTvobxsRlpQJ8ru7yfMtc06qqIml1Cnl_RPJtyopyd9fmQ422QKRbPc4vLLcbJdg-k/s1600/IMG_7552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-29juLc2VfmQSAS_rVYWe_QQ7pTQIWpV1dSVI2yxzklWQKxIf6jiQqa21K5Sfd2HRZkgmBkp3doTvobxsRlpQJ8ru7yfMtc06qqIml1Cnl_RPJtyopyd9fmQ422QKRbPc4vLLcbJdg-k/s320/IMG_7552.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grave offerings c. 900 BC</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WiTtEHlHoKvxnggdE6IPGnLGhY3XXgp8HgD84ixg9Yv_987GyBA0ZFtcJQyoM39Q2wAoaedtTuiOtCdGRnG7uEbt-EAKSrmc8OO8JWtqETZrSLftgFrGp_bbRZD5YTUn63bYSWhushM/s1600/IMG_7597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WiTtEHlHoKvxnggdE6IPGnLGhY3XXgp8HgD84ixg9Yv_987GyBA0ZFtcJQyoM39Q2wAoaedtTuiOtCdGRnG7uEbt-EAKSrmc8OO8JWtqETZrSLftgFrGp_bbRZD5YTUn63bYSWhushM/s320/IMG_7597.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shields carried by seaborne raiders c. 350 BC and offered as sacrifice by the victors by sinking them into a bog</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYas7jBFc-QiM5B0NeFO5Z5uCEEKaNWf6-OH396mlWkMbwVPwWfj0KoiYFkQTPcV3kXARo9UrbZTywtUTdg9MncXfOvDGRYWzZY-oFJqqoSkaZciZa4dlrklIm9G9C53eHw4bTRv5EZNI/s1600/IMG_7600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYas7jBFc-QiM5B0NeFO5Z5uCEEKaNWf6-OH396mlWkMbwVPwWfj0KoiYFkQTPcV3kXARo9UrbZTywtUTdg9MncXfOvDGRYWzZY-oFJqqoSkaZciZa4dlrklIm9G9C53eHw4bTRv5EZNI/s320/IMG_7600.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viking gold necklace. Very practical people those Vikings, as the wrought gold could be easily transported and cut off when needed to make payments.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFIk0iusEKCLmrl6y4B6cvnS7xXB1WNAGMHUGDIFuGer_g2hz3siELCqDWg7Vbg1TC_EJ2JYkA3Fq4M2wBWjYeBtZpy_aUA8n6HZk5ujLe1c9Xd3ajlcKK5uP1Q_TFFPlwizzGEDEDHo/s1600/IMG_7601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFIk0iusEKCLmrl6y4B6cvnS7xXB1WNAGMHUGDIFuGer_g2hz3siELCqDWg7Vbg1TC_EJ2JYkA3Fq4M2wBWjYeBtZpy_aUA8n6HZk5ujLe1c9Xd3ajlcKK5uP1Q_TFFPlwizzGEDEDHo/s320/IMG_7601.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Replica of a Viking chieftain's chest</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtx8MW_I2Wco3t9Lh82H0jyQ147dtkkE7NJI1dkh4GMxb8VnBY1BPuvsprlSnx-iaxXcihuEI4ZGtY8FF5eoP0MkmbyxkfUsTKGtL4H0n6JqdtSHQYzRjGzpLGJYkEMIvNnrGA7nRBI2A/s1600/IMG_7603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtx8MW_I2Wco3t9Lh82H0jyQ147dtkkE7NJI1dkh4GMxb8VnBY1BPuvsprlSnx-iaxXcihuEI4ZGtY8FF5eoP0MkmbyxkfUsTKGtL4H0n6JqdtSHQYzRjGzpLGJYkEMIvNnrGA7nRBI2A/s320/IMG_7603.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEfmySxA06gj7YEyLX_Cwr1bBqVkK-m1zHNncIQ777i_KbQJSAgm0MT-k-KwcjJ-aOB8mi3OXZ6UdOKF0HMvlk_Xoob4_rChYTN46Tw-EJPPRAeC9J4GVkfB5dWM6ujNjsUllwP6Kphw/s1600/IMG_7604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEfmySxA06gj7YEyLX_Cwr1bBqVkK-m1zHNncIQ777i_KbQJSAgm0MT-k-KwcjJ-aOB8mi3OXZ6UdOKF0HMvlk_Xoob4_rChYTN46Tw-EJPPRAeC9J4GVkfB5dWM6ujNjsUllwP6Kphw/s320/IMG_7604.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Axe from a Viking chief's grave</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7ZbnFMz3irQrSME3y19O7UNHAmnKKCcy9mWy9y1BLBMZ_H0u7xvxgvL2i8mUADbo2Ch5-mkU6jJCKxco0pHlQ9e-56LLC8WeJwVr0CxgYCcyBDYWm2r_7SUaUuh7pNKUo1jqerJM7BA/s1600/IMG_7606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7ZbnFMz3irQrSME3y19O7UNHAmnKKCcy9mWy9y1BLBMZ_H0u7xvxgvL2i8mUADbo2Ch5-mkU6jJCKxco0pHlQ9e-56LLC8WeJwVr0CxgYCcyBDYWm2r_7SUaUuh7pNKUo1jqerJM7BA/s320/IMG_7606.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Practical Vikings: a mould for making both Thor's hammer and crucifix pendants at the same time</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXTYq3otlyP0qt1QwazkomJrRc_sCQOGB9Iutv6Hx6b_z6vmYIlUfR1Z_jrhFkglXIPpRUGnRs-o5nIb8E2pfpYXcaE9FEarY8b8rCf_VTMdnXrO4uOGrDfSfsJHCA4N0tsGATwcPVQs/s1600/IMG_7608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXTYq3otlyP0qt1QwazkomJrRc_sCQOGB9Iutv6Hx6b_z6vmYIlUfR1Z_jrhFkglXIPpRUGnRs-o5nIb8E2pfpYXcaE9FEarY8b8rCf_VTMdnXrO4uOGrDfSfsJHCA4N0tsGATwcPVQs/s320/IMG_7608.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Full armour manufactured in 1545 in Innsbruck</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High-quality hunting guns 16th and 17th centuries</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQ9d3Vrowb-ZUZZD_gF0fAHun_bgGp9ZOLP3bi5hn1QpyCaBGkL60My-Gc3-HiNZ64eBktplmLxmP_NOpkUjBN4S7yVNzQ5P6Yd0sxrO_YqyD4nXeFCuN7-9p0Sy5sIiqmYPjDSYbVXY/s1600/IMG_7610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQ9d3Vrowb-ZUZZD_gF0fAHun_bgGp9ZOLP3bi5hn1QpyCaBGkL60My-Gc3-HiNZ64eBktplmLxmP_NOpkUjBN4S7yVNzQ5P6Yd0sxrO_YqyD4nXeFCuN7-9p0Sy5sIiqmYPjDSYbVXY/s320/IMG_7610.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rapiers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Danish cavalry armour from the early 17th century</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1NvE4U660PQ2yEqHgnZaJgjoIYNOnA6p25Q7xPYfAXzJ4XE9-lJWKkYGTOnlYoTnYTmi6FaNl3i_yOu2_Dxb83a4lQaqgTHPBpKm2v7dUUqg83qZjAkZdPCBOytrdW1p6enGYT9pB_UU/s1600/IMG_7629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1NvE4U660PQ2yEqHgnZaJgjoIYNOnA6p25Q7xPYfAXzJ4XE9-lJWKkYGTOnlYoTnYTmi6FaNl3i_yOu2_Dxb83a4lQaqgTHPBpKm2v7dUUqg83qZjAkZdPCBOytrdW1p6enGYT9pB_UU/s320/IMG_7629.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cuirassiers armour from the end of the 16th century</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWHaD-hJrg4PwnqcsEvTuoPz5GBUbyKd8HifsBXxY_PpZGRsDpqnf7GAs51JvdWBJEcA_tmk5RL_OS2XSfiJkQL4UwAPlBC8e9eh8KXUbQxgYfdXmc3hspGOGiTbw894JarKKtvAPEtw/s1600/IMG_7622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWHaD-hJrg4PwnqcsEvTuoPz5GBUbyKd8HifsBXxY_PpZGRsDpqnf7GAs51JvdWBJEcA_tmk5RL_OS2XSfiJkQL4UwAPlBC8e9eh8KXUbQxgYfdXmc3hspGOGiTbw894JarKKtvAPEtw/s320/IMG_7622.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTviCFjc-UucKVj73wSkJZPGF2s_iqbVVAuOxNXl68FtR1C7eA7GsKnY3NVCVmthF-ah1HC0YGRDClzfutq_HAzheUzWGv0JqIKDckgNe8Zya1sbXKScDGCqZxemykiaVqauI7vAicRM/s1600/IMG_7623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTviCFjc-UucKVj73wSkJZPGF2s_iqbVVAuOxNXl68FtR1C7eA7GsKnY3NVCVmthF-ah1HC0YGRDClzfutq_HAzheUzWGv0JqIKDckgNe8Zya1sbXKScDGCqZxemykiaVqauI7vAicRM/s320/IMG_7623.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">17th century caltrops</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steel storming ladder (which folds!) and a partizan</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Details of the hinges of the storming ladder</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Details of the partizan</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHr2VCmYFcv5lnRi2bU1q9q_qxAPHeilHLE4RvwZszgi3CWFE9Ubhc3WrpXIpIaAXmByWrVVNzTQc6xurlzhsrVR9n19qYR2cAoN0VRgn3j68l3n3ns2pA14bvOT-asKriYluhi7zd2I/s1600/IMG_7628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHr2VCmYFcv5lnRi2bU1q9q_qxAPHeilHLE4RvwZszgi3CWFE9Ubhc3WrpXIpIaAXmByWrVVNzTQc6xurlzhsrVR9n19qYR2cAoN0VRgn3j68l3n3ns2pA14bvOT-asKriYluhi7zd2I/s320/IMG_7628.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swedish assault on Copenhagen 1659</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjuH1ApV-omyWlkQNn4gVTeoAUkoAN3uVxf_9Sj7EFH3OHltHEH7MV5_WYK1Dwk3TSRllsUdsFZK2XCzQauyuf9qoBCW-WRI-KA9SphVPFcDY-Qp0z4Mv7tCr3uxZAeCk1vKMVifM6g0/s1600/IMG_7632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjuH1ApV-omyWlkQNn4gVTeoAUkoAN3uVxf_9Sj7EFH3OHltHEH7MV5_WYK1Dwk3TSRllsUdsFZK2XCzQauyuf9qoBCW-WRI-KA9SphVPFcDY-Qp0z4Mv7tCr3uxZAeCk1vKMVifM6g0/s320/IMG_7632.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">15th century pavise</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-61681119848763636352016-05-14T04:17:00.000-07:002016-05-14T04:17:57.931-07:00Star Wars Armada: First Impressions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1mjyxFfUFqB3wO8AjztOVxsZ8thNjctCNh09nDvSqMdLDfBqiVLYqkKsAtOC2yfspxAvOVngL3oJzQMb0kkt_8enQ_ChS0ie54ngKme5wZjGmJkTKs4MuBHL93UoBsn2tNz7-eEyWik/s1600/Armada+cover+picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1mjyxFfUFqB3wO8AjztOVxsZ8thNjctCNh09nDvSqMdLDfBqiVLYqkKsAtOC2yfspxAvOVngL3oJzQMb0kkt_8enQ_ChS0ie54ngKme5wZjGmJkTKs4MuBHL93UoBsn2tNz7-eEyWik/s320/Armada+cover+picture.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A friend of mine showed me how to play Star Wars Armada the other day. I haven't really played any "naval" games before, but was eager to try this one because A) I love Star Wars, B) I've heard good stuff about the game and C) it's a nice change from the games I usually play.</div>
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The scenario was a straight forward bash between the "fleets" that come in the core box. I commanded the Imperial forces with a Victory class Star Destroyer and 6 squadrons of Tie Fighters. The Rebel Scum had two smaller main ships - a Corelian corvette and a Nebulon frigate - and 4 squadrons of X-wings. The objective was to cause as much destruction as possible in six turns.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLodfUoOlkknTUTKUuR0FezCp1v_ZFTQTlj4j14tWXc9X9ftPTNqgwkjlr1fbqJEER9ZM_znCqP3A8B1YpEDAaZHJ2cTNaMiZqXQ-VfSq2nwRu-nt1veOM0nKNz6pN-jzgPkJ45ynRwQ/s1600/IMG_7832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLodfUoOlkknTUTKUuR0FezCp1v_ZFTQTlj4j14tWXc9X9ftPTNqgwkjlr1fbqJEER9ZM_znCqP3A8B1YpEDAaZHJ2cTNaMiZqXQ-VfSq2nwRu-nt1veOM0nKNz6pN-jzgPkJ45ynRwQ/s320/IMG_7832.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKq38rHPlSncAZZENEKXxtzot6LDD1Vw2rI7L_Z4SjdyUt9aX98h0G-BxAEBu6gFGy-XFcEaeCDvVI1m17suEvvlxbjCTsygBEICjhx8us5iLnd-CP1owO8tAtEZm5njYOl27QZFnX1II/s1600/IMG_7833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKq38rHPlSncAZZENEKXxtzot6LDD1Vw2rI7L_Z4SjdyUt9aX98h0G-BxAEBu6gFGy-XFcEaeCDvVI1m17suEvvlxbjCTsygBEICjhx8us5iLnd-CP1owO8tAtEZm5njYOl27QZFnX1II/s320/IMG_7833.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Both sides started by advancing at "medium speed" towards the enemy. My Star Destroyer banked left whle the Tie Fighters moved right to cover that flank. My plan was to destroy the Corelian corvette first with some short range fire from the Star Destroyer while the Tie Fighters would hold the rest of the Rebels at bay.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6f8ElLQluNEaaaYSfXt6ktuleY2VWbtnx79twOfDJ3iiuQFMNSPYKVLB3h64kXHbt200oyJmwO8vWq7CSRnZe3X_4ta9iFut8H_8ZiT_s6R4zAWjl0-5IwCJ1cF1MYbCBdnJt9ZXcOrA/s1600/IMG_7835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6f8ElLQluNEaaaYSfXt6ktuleY2VWbtnx79twOfDJ3iiuQFMNSPYKVLB3h64kXHbt200oyJmwO8vWq7CSRnZe3X_4ta9iFut8H_8ZiT_s6R4zAWjl0-5IwCJ1cF1MYbCBdnJt9ZXcOrA/s320/IMG_7835.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The game was a learning experience for both of us and we (I) quickly learned that things don't work quite as expected. With the Star Destroyer you really have to plan ahead, as you have to set its commands 3 turns in advance (you still have a bunch off leeway though). The sequence of fire first, move second and the speed of the ships also threw us off, and my approach against the corvette didn't go as planned. Instead, we passed each other with too great speed, trading shots with our turbolasers that caused only minimal damage. Meanwhile, the fighter squadrons approached each other and got tied down in a massive skirmish. The Nebulon frigate started a wide flanking manoeuvre against the rear of my Star Destroyer.</div>
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The Star Destroyer weakened the shields of both the Corelian corvette and Nebulon frigate, but soon found both Rebel ships on its rear! The Star Destroyer had trouble turning around, as it was moving too fast (I had given it speed 2 at the start), was cumbersome to swivel and I had completely miss-planned the manoeuvres. My Tie Fighters managed to wipe out the X-wings, but this was little use. The Rebel main ships (particularly the frigate) kept hammering the rear of the Star Destroyer. With the rear shields gone, the vulnerable engines and reactor and of the Star Destroyer started taking hits, some of which were critical. </div>
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With its hull breached and its reactors overheating, the Star Destroyer's command personnel panicked. The behemoth lumbered forward, trailing debris and air. Klaxons were blaring and some of the personnel abandoned ship. Sensing victory, the Nebulon frigate's captain re-routed power from the frigate's engines for a concentrated volley at the Star Destroyer. There was little the Imperial crew could do and the Star Destroyer exploded in a brilliant ball of white light. The Imperium had lost. On some distant moon Ewoks were dancing and (Rebel) order was restored to this small segment of the galaxy.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCma_MY4qk9om0cv0ptUHCnLF66DUB-gCss8h41LUJ0kd26d7gl-kbexmj_toVW4u2peZeyWK7ceNTlp0649PBML51WgmaYBkF3STLIduyon7tRot-QuKpm99s6pbwLhdhr0q6-FyB7HU/s1600/IMG_7838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCma_MY4qk9om0cv0ptUHCnLF66DUB-gCss8h41LUJ0kd26d7gl-kbexmj_toVW4u2peZeyWK7ceNTlp0649PBML51WgmaYBkF3STLIduyon7tRot-QuKpm99s6pbwLhdhr0q6-FyB7HU/s320/IMG_7838.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The game was interesting and fun to play. I quite liked the turn mechanics and the orders given to the ships. Also the combination of main ships with fighter squadrons was nice. Another major source of joy was making little laser sounds every time I got to fire the Star Destroyer and playing relevant YouTube scenes from my phone mid-game. Good times.</div>
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That said, the rules were confusingly written and we had to spend a serious amount of time re-reading and cross-refencing them. The main problem is that the rules are split between two books and between various sections of the rules. This might be a good solution for tournament play or for someone who already knows the rules, but for a beginner this was very off-setting. Even for tournament play I think this could be done better.</div>
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The game also has a lot of counters, special rules for various ships and add-on cards (which you can purchase to make your ships better) plus very heavy "codex creep" for new ships that Fantasy Flight Games is releasing at a steady pace. This might be a good thing to add flavour to the otherwise "impersonal" ships and a chance to try different "builds" to your fleet to keep things interesting. However, this carries a risk of the game becoming one of micro-management and list optimization, which I don't like.</div>
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Anyway, the demo was fun and the game seemed to promise further interesting (and grandiose!) space fleet actions. Like a kid that has just received his allowance, I raced to the nearest games store and bought myself the starter set plus several additions. I am now the proud owner of a fledgling Imperial armada (plus a minuscule Rebel force to use as target practice). Stay tuned for more star fleet action!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpvCnPCC5I-v3WLTOp2gA7mrH4LHHn9xtECdwtObALpMC1cc7AM35fOMZtwxOQs65UvSpxtcKF6hxRwXrzs8etat4ivdo3iiObnxWKhBJlIoPgEKVLHgduj5uG7o_SHESMARmAMIm25o/s1600/assemble+the+fleet.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpvCnPCC5I-v3WLTOp2gA7mrH4LHHn9xtECdwtObALpMC1cc7AM35fOMZtwxOQs65UvSpxtcKF6hxRwXrzs8etat4ivdo3iiObnxWKhBJlIoPgEKVLHgduj5uG7o_SHESMARmAMIm25o/s320/assemble+the+fleet.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-58309287306374847802016-04-22T12:48:00.000-07:002016-04-22T12:48:40.734-07:00Great Northern War - Sibirski infantry regiment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So I finished another Russian regiment for the Great Northern War. The Sibirski (Siberia) infantry regiment in the uniforms worn at the battle of Poltava.</div>
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To be honest, I've had the unit painted for almost three weeks, but have been so busy that I only managed to get the basing done today. Hopefully the next unit will be finished more speedily.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTLsDCj1qeL2w3RB_k53jFPs708pwl0OUyrxtqjuEydlABzvUoyQSwamOJ9I_-n4pYPJeexpli7ocBLbpKCFTWV09SWUNJWqkgpjUXy2_b-3kaRR_DMRe2VGRV3xKIxfDYNCzbQvFA_g/s1600/IMG_5127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTLsDCj1qeL2w3RB_k53jFPs708pwl0OUyrxtqjuEydlABzvUoyQSwamOJ9I_-n4pYPJeexpli7ocBLbpKCFTWV09SWUNJWqkgpjUXy2_b-3kaRR_DMRe2VGRV3xKIxfDYNCzbQvFA_g/s320/IMG_5127.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRmYD0Xvq0IUtRTUihs3hQVe_WobtXBAv0u5ZxgZZeki7j4wtgle4bzRJmmGWEl_nXPJY-AU8i06EUDe3s8IPrSd9-xr0nfTE39CzvJEnvkhmOeLbLA-OCHbV1_rKaskihpV9Wvsd4cAU/s1600/IMG_5128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRmYD0Xvq0IUtRTUihs3hQVe_WobtXBAv0u5ZxgZZeki7j4wtgle4bzRJmmGWEl_nXPJY-AU8i06EUDe3s8IPrSd9-xr0nfTE39CzvJEnvkhmOeLbLA-OCHbV1_rKaskihpV9Wvsd4cAU/s320/IMG_5128.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-78087453884421352412016-03-25T16:08:00.000-07:002016-03-25T16:08:34.849-07:00End of an era: The battle of Clontarf<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
What better way to celebrate Good Friday than to re-fight the Battle of Clontarf, fought on Good Friday 1014. Our game was fought with 6 players and using Hail Caesar rules. The game was a well-planned custom scenario, which acted as a climactic ending to our Saga campaign.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH9KSKtiMe1FGC1yZM9wzEIuaHjIAI4-ZhF9w2r8hrgAZbmgWvVCDZcGsCDfxGXrBQoUhYj9y-eT894w2bN7YTrwo9_xFn7WScmZasUFxrIiFCWs-r9t9bv-LHjAtPWtMLsDdXIvkLCYQ/s1600/MI%252BBattle%252BClontarf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH9KSKtiMe1FGC1yZM9wzEIuaHjIAI4-ZhF9w2r8hrgAZbmgWvVCDZcGsCDfxGXrBQoUhYj9y-eT894w2bN7YTrwo9_xFn7WScmZasUFxrIiFCWs-r9t9bv-LHjAtPWtMLsDdXIvkLCYQ/s320/MI%252BBattle%252BClontarf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Objectives and deployment</h3>
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The battle pit the Norse-Irish controlling Dublin and their Viking allies against a combined Irish host led by the high king Brian Boru. The Northmen had just landed and had their backs to the sea, so were more on the defensive than the Irish. The Irishmen outnumbered the Vikings, and their objective was to destroy as many Viking units as possible, set their ships on fire (by moving into contact) and capture the bridge leading to Dublin. An additional objective was the aged Brian Boru himself, whom the Vikings sought to kill. The deployment and objectives can be seen in the diagram below.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVmLZL9FzcUzQlm01LaGV5_ahdN1Rlh1op0hvJBI5lIce5I7U6xTgn8OPKDqubM2H8h0PtmquH-k149sEeclKB1COBlnw0fMBCJJTFLDDQkxePoa60reJFis9c8-WzpstpkjqToOVQac/s1600/deployment.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVmLZL9FzcUzQlm01LaGV5_ahdN1Rlh1op0hvJBI5lIce5I7U6xTgn8OPKDqubM2H8h0PtmquH-k149sEeclKB1COBlnw0fMBCJJTFLDDQkxePoa60reJFis9c8-WzpstpkjqToOVQac/s320/deployment.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deployment, which is not strictly historical.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRfirp1SWeSAPS3PKWsMcA1ZdEPTeL-SxJfEDtjDN-zuNIHphOYLDxnbawVE4MAlyCRnx9IwkiTzQo28Irgzs7PNuJhiLvL8tUFYM-QTu2k_vXUnBJtkIRMMODGIcGKmWArqMO0oVcLYc/s1600/depo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRfirp1SWeSAPS3PKWsMcA1ZdEPTeL-SxJfEDtjDN-zuNIHphOYLDxnbawVE4MAlyCRnx9IwkiTzQo28Irgzs7PNuJhiLvL8tUFYM-QTu2k_vXUnBJtkIRMMODGIcGKmWArqMO0oVcLYc/s320/depo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viking commanders ponder their strategy. Picture by monsieur Mannonen</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKUvK2LpOycN0zEPNtf_S_r1w5X6ITHteyceHTTCK8Y-xoFyL_Q7kNIO336BuidaHKagM4yOn1Gg89TUYigVrTbSQHVDcqKtEWTJWADauYwqkOWe6DYsIY3jnCWIPEPjTU7efFCvuNpDQ/s1600/IMG_5017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKUvK2LpOycN0zEPNtf_S_r1w5X6ITHteyceHTTCK8Y-xoFyL_Q7kNIO336BuidaHKagM4yOn1Gg89TUYigVrTbSQHVDcqKtEWTJWADauYwqkOWe6DYsIY3jnCWIPEPjTU7efFCvuNpDQ/s320/IMG_5017.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mercenary Vikings fighting for the Irish</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwuZYseyEsl_4kZr8i5z9fPhJXM7wMiDcusPor6VU44tOa8fFrrMwKAk-WNHQuMjH7hwN9upzvl4kNEW65SxiKwh0DMcz9o5J4bpdE2kJKsBGL7uqUW51-gtCfeSVTZ4dcrrO8okQ04MM/s1600/IMG_5018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwuZYseyEsl_4kZr8i5z9fPhJXM7wMiDcusPor6VU44tOa8fFrrMwKAk-WNHQuMjH7hwN9upzvl4kNEW65SxiKwh0DMcz9o5J4bpdE2kJKsBGL7uqUW51-gtCfeSVTZ4dcrrO8okQ04MM/s320/IMG_5018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viking nudists</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7hVWUQwGpO3yMT6xFnPery1N0gOVqBgDpOjbZ7ApOAn24GZ2599W6DldTXSpzGHjGYDllVxDGI4i5pS5rfhxFN1P0twpClnqel2DM1xM2ryVadWlCRFVPGPOYHD2aKUpA4r02J3YuniA/s1600/IMG_5019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7hVWUQwGpO3yMT6xFnPery1N0gOVqBgDpOjbZ7ApOAn24GZ2599W6DldTXSpzGHjGYDllVxDGI4i5pS5rfhxFN1P0twpClnqel2DM1xM2ryVadWlCRFVPGPOYHD2aKUpA4r02J3YuniA/s320/IMG_5019.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manx Viking and Dublin Viking detachments</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbOMiTFEMTSCbu7sIhxuwpSMni6-rgP6p-azlCCCTgBDPXEh5fCQdJztpZUyMaNKlTZxv7q4dlfBWsUwTAiOfGoS8PmA8Cyxx1z1PRO8ZBlLkryyxf2x4xnD0DPPF7M0uzu1JQoTEgqQ/s1600/IMG_5021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbOMiTFEMTSCbu7sIhxuwpSMni6-rgP6p-azlCCCTgBDPXEh5fCQdJztpZUyMaNKlTZxv7q4dlfBWsUwTAiOfGoS8PmA8Cyxx1z1PRO8ZBlLkryyxf2x4xnD0DPPF7M0uzu1JQoTEgqQ/s320/IMG_5021.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brian Boru, high king of Ireland, oversees the battle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhfJSg7ewen82NARtEvUJ4vQNKngtMsChfAv9KXRW4XHkUmBSPiV6TLueEkuruk1hGSomduIsRqF3INL8sbLuJbdcgKzQn2mj47ZhcbgeCVQnIBHcljeWONQnGis9WXZKjt_E05jWBNg/s1600/IMG_5022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhfJSg7ewen82NARtEvUJ4vQNKngtMsChfAv9KXRW4XHkUmBSPiV6TLueEkuruk1hGSomduIsRqF3INL8sbLuJbdcgKzQn2mj47ZhcbgeCVQnIBHcljeWONQnGis9WXZKjt_E05jWBNg/s320/IMG_5022.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dal Cais and Munster Irish detachments</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgwocZL-sxvF6zdC3GpM5-NLPhuyRz_fVKF2nsdIjRyMLj5UjE0DdQpexJWsJdsAv9MYIecFn1VaWQ6ailDKSMSgMKK4dSRQBWG_0b6F42HgTul774oyM8YpLW8LZSEQhWwBy_hDKJ1Pc/s1600/IMG_5023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgwocZL-sxvF6zdC3GpM5-NLPhuyRz_fVKF2nsdIjRyMLj5UjE0DdQpexJWsJdsAv9MYIecFn1VaWQ6ailDKSMSgMKK4dSRQBWG_0b6F42HgTul774oyM8YpLW8LZSEQhWwBy_hDKJ1Pc/s320/IMG_5023.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Battlelines at dawn</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtoZFOsIXwx-j_ldkMXDpCB9uc75unXchnEaQolXRrB61pBC_3vcvKNr_i0C0foMHHmSGBWls2ozbvm3ElM2ZenU8yjE8-3pEzKgfPzmHuYfrKEhSW6j088yMw8Fmw5frsYtA2hDSkM88/s1600/IMG_5015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtoZFOsIXwx-j_ldkMXDpCB9uc75unXchnEaQolXRrB61pBC_3vcvKNr_i0C0foMHHmSGBWls2ozbvm3ElM2ZenU8yjE8-3pEzKgfPzmHuYfrKEhSW6j088yMw8Fmw5frsYtA2hDSkM88/s320/IMG_5015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Prelude</h3>
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At first light, the two great hosts marched against each other. The Irish army, by far the larger of the two, was an impressive sight to behold. No less formidable were the Vikings, many of whom were clad in mail and were in all respects an intimidating sight. Soon a champion, Thorfinn the hairy chested, of whom a hundred songs had been sung, strode out from the Viking ranks. Thorfinn challenged any man who dared to fight him in single combat. A dark-haired warrior of Munster met the call, and soon the two champions squared off against each other. The Irish warrior was fast, skilled and confident. However, this was no match for the much larger and stronger Northman. A parry, then another and finally a bash from the Viking's shield sent the Irishman reeling. The son of Munster fell, but he did not get up. Thorfinn's shield came crashing down, and the duel was over. The Viking line erupted in a deafening cacophony of bellowing and swords bashing on shields. This would be a good day!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJli-XVPXlHhxlFQ8mh8_FSCROA8V-ctDRwPIj1KxFKyotKFSdbGhUSYgJWqhAnxIhgSTVhCHwh3Amu6ODeyR9GXU3edJyvcejg-JkvO23i7JQqeCAawNlvP5DA0s4wSRWTHpJW3RHko/s1600/IMG_5020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJli-XVPXlHhxlFQ8mh8_FSCROA8V-ctDRwPIj1KxFKyotKFSdbGhUSYgJWqhAnxIhgSTVhCHwh3Amu6ODeyR9GXU3edJyvcejg-JkvO23i7JQqeCAawNlvP5DA0s4wSRWTHpJW3RHko/s320/IMG_5020.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Champions square off</td></tr>
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<h3 style="clear: both;">
Opening moves</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDGQ0AWBuHlHS0j2GqaD2kDTHyfrtWA_qS63y7tqYp6NtVKJ305Y4ZmFe8BWNgd2inV6KTmH9lAR2Ec-nnfSpqvqhA1IqbFzcBaWCJHjYLOSEGukbTTQlZLlGYYcrmR5k8EIN45dpu1s/s1600/kuva1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDGQ0AWBuHlHS0j2GqaD2kDTHyfrtWA_qS63y7tqYp6NtVKJ305Y4ZmFe8BWNgd2inV6KTmH9lAR2Ec-nnfSpqvqhA1IqbFzcBaWCJHjYLOSEGukbTTQlZLlGYYcrmR5k8EIN45dpu1s/s320/kuva1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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After the usual taunts and duels had been dealt with, the Irish started their advance. There was either treachery or cravenness afoot, as the Irish battle line failed to advance together. The Connacht detachment was eager for a fight and quickly closed with the Manx Vikings to their front. The Dal Cais detachment advanced more cautiously and the boys from Munster retreated (a blunder)!</div>
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The Vikings advanced in better order along the whole line. Heavy fighting broke out between the Manx Vikings and Connacht Irish on the left. The Irish got a bloody nose, losing a unit of skirmishers and taking heavy losses and disorder to several other units. While this was going on, the Orkney Vikings on the right advanced on the Viking mercenaries in Irish service and sent them reeling back.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJdZEx9_CvPureeXlbqYbSTuSD4I50T7N9bIuj4Z4Lk0_zkMiI32YIhbnAEJv-BIxgseOi897g11LU7NIhuwQucPVMn6AHpP3rybUiHt3X1eyJiN5Id7GEQvmksWhX4nzBgkpsejhzIs/s1600/IMG_5024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJdZEx9_CvPureeXlbqYbSTuSD4I50T7N9bIuj4Z4Lk0_zkMiI32YIhbnAEJv-BIxgseOi897g11LU7NIhuwQucPVMn6AHpP3rybUiHt3X1eyJiN5Id7GEQvmksWhX4nzBgkpsejhzIs/s320/IMG_5024.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Disorder in the Irish lines</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Battle commences on the left flank</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The shieldwalls close</td></tr>
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On turn 2, the Irish disorder continued. This time it was the Dal Cais detachment in the centre which blundered and made a rapid retreat. The fighting on the left escalated and now both the Connacht Irish and Manx Vikings were fully engaged in a clash between two shieldwalls. The Dublin Vikings in the centre advanced eagerly, ready to outflank the Connacht detachment and win the left flank. The Orkney Vikings on the right routed the last of the mercenary Vikings and advanced into good positions from which to threaten the right flank of the Irish. Things were looking really good for the Vikings!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ztU5m9BYYbJ5II2qX657HVqyE5901saGNWd64N0EkHZzN0uzuD6g3CAxsoaneCH9Ik2QtZ4Svx4t3URTBPKUEvBXm_8gZRpbatI2X7d43-eooy4Z5wRFl_ZzNBhT3uOQ3p3wi_qF7bo/s1600/Kuva2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ztU5m9BYYbJ5II2qX657HVqyE5901saGNWd64N0EkHZzN0uzuD6g3CAxsoaneCH9Ik2QtZ4Svx4t3URTBPKUEvBXm_8gZRpbatI2X7d43-eooy4Z5wRFl_ZzNBhT3uOQ3p3wi_qF7bo/s320/Kuva2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJOfeADjXv-HuLoi2Kw5K6FKaecDHIrDSJptkdBRvF_p-1RkvjubHdg2zUfEdJK3XGljx077G7BzhFyup8kOHNMpYJw8z3UJB4CvNg-HJ72kkOTLF9kS5vG9UumueSSTIdkcfc6Oj4aE/s1600/IMG_5027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJOfeADjXv-HuLoi2Kw5K6FKaecDHIrDSJptkdBRvF_p-1RkvjubHdg2zUfEdJK3XGljx077G7BzhFyup8kOHNMpYJw8z3UJB4CvNg-HJ72kkOTLF9kS5vG9UumueSSTIdkcfc6Oj4aE/s320/IMG_5027.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turn 2: more chaos (or treachery?) in the Irish lines, as their central detachment makes a rapid retreat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_ez6g3iiyRmMMho46Zc6Nvn0efoV3bYfrZoxYBHSIR4PHB1jnEgK8pBiGPkGcuupluLP0RsiJ4VrrXyyvSfcB2EGmKlHZ_JmojWmgVN38AFHQXzbufVwo42vyJ06gnfcAUOAlT62og0/s1600/IMG_5028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_ez6g3iiyRmMMho46Zc6Nvn0efoV3bYfrZoxYBHSIR4PHB1jnEgK8pBiGPkGcuupluLP0RsiJ4VrrXyyvSfcB2EGmKlHZ_JmojWmgVN38AFHQXzbufVwo42vyJ06gnfcAUOAlT62og0/s320/IMG_5028.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orkney Vikings prepare to assault the left flank of the Irish line</td></tr>
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<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The Irish strike back</h3>
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Facing disaster, the Irish finally managed to get their act together and remember that they were men, not sheep. The Dal Cais and Munster detachments charged forward with terrible warcries. The Vikings were caught off-guard and were cut down like wheat. The Orkney Vikings on the right fought badly and took appalling losses. In the centre, the Dublin Vikings had advanced too carelessly and were charged in the flank. The light units meant to guard the flank quickly crumpled, after which the Dal Cais detachment started to roll-up the Dublin Vikings' line. On the left, the Manx Vikings had the upper hand, but the Connacht Irish were putting up a tremendous fight (rolling mostly sixes, the lucky gits).</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1GdwFdsUewkcS9GfLk_OkJhdXu_8FMiqxfTELSIM8zZxRnzIeNFdMesCjUdLM9BowXZJZOslT8bIx0B8veiAJ2zhS6wMpepz3g7wMO045sGh-xfaePawDxlD3odwX10zn0suZbjdCms/s1600/IMG_5030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1GdwFdsUewkcS9GfLk_OkJhdXu_8FMiqxfTELSIM8zZxRnzIeNFdMesCjUdLM9BowXZJZOslT8bIx0B8veiAJ2zhS6wMpepz3g7wMO045sGh-xfaePawDxlD3odwX10zn0suZbjdCms/s320/IMG_5030.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Irish turn 3</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnK8IvAVJgfaYczOCYYl-7Kaut1_p_GY6zzP6zRFQeCWH3-Vpa4yKg1v6ZkYLwYgU2TZlIqvsGJe-LrkLSfW8PUw0qgodHw3dx42rL_E6Fmfm0jdTZhhZpz7CWeSFrJlojmhMTzX61eHs/s1600/IMG_5031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnK8IvAVJgfaYczOCYYl-7Kaut1_p_GY6zzP6zRFQeCWH3-Vpa4yKg1v6ZkYLwYgU2TZlIqvsGJe-LrkLSfW8PUw0qgodHw3dx42rL_E6Fmfm0jdTZhhZpz7CWeSFrJlojmhMTzX61eHs/s320/IMG_5031.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Viking centre (Dublin Vikings) are outflanked while the fight on the left drags on</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkAjC8W6dsQLf_io6q_ogpG09FKC1ut_fFtdCzF1PMbsj-AL18lVYdVZZS5XCwiFHFja_Qp8MUicV19wBmZ4pUbJTFSTSOz6n2Y2smDXGKfFSGGLTzbCPGY68kWjkI1xse5JhtpMVOnM/s1600/IMG_5032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkAjC8W6dsQLf_io6q_ogpG09FKC1ut_fFtdCzF1PMbsj-AL18lVYdVZZS5XCwiFHFja_Qp8MUicV19wBmZ4pUbJTFSTSOz6n2Y2smDXGKfFSGGLTzbCPGY68kWjkI1xse5JhtpMVOnM/s320/IMG_5032.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orkney Vikings on the right are beaten back and outflanked in turn</td></tr>
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<h3>
All is lost!</h3>
As the sun reached its zenith, the Vikings' position deteriorated quickly from "worrying" to "desperate". The Vikings' centre collapsed remarkably quickly, and soon the Dublin Vikings were fleeing the field. On the right, the Orkney Vikings took further heavy losses, but got in a few punches at the Munster Irish as well. A few units of archers from the Orkney detachment tried to stall the rampaging Dal Cais by charging them in the rear. This resulted in the death of Murehad, the leader of the Dal Cais, but otherwise had little impact.<br />
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A glimmer of hope arrived on the left, as the Manx Vikings slew Tadgh Mór, leader of the Connacht detachment and drove off several of the Irish units. However, this was too little and too late. The Dal Cais Irish charged the flank of the Manx Vikings, which tied them down and allowed the Connacht to recover, then charge the Manx Vikings in the other flank. Surrounded and spent, the Vikings could offer little resistance and were hacked down together with Brodir of Man, their leader.<br />
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The survivors fled the field. Many drowned in the river Tolka or were cut down by the pursuing Irish. Although a number of the fugitives managed to escape with their ships or break through to Dublin, there was no question about it, this had been a decisive victory for the Irish!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPX6QmVChe_sYJ4OBWNM7NXbrmMKFIvxPb2hp6z-xoWlfLaMx3yVONw3e5ZYuv7VgtmOtPWTBntc0LQuMwesn-G1VSnZHWULVgjOmq9EQeJvgporK_6jnQRDVUMiFtKtPwhpAHJWiNrm0/s1600/Kuva4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPX6QmVChe_sYJ4OBWNM7NXbrmMKFIvxPb2hp6z-xoWlfLaMx3yVONw3e5ZYuv7VgtmOtPWTBntc0LQuMwesn-G1VSnZHWULVgjOmq9EQeJvgporK_6jnQRDVUMiFtKtPwhpAHJWiNrm0/s320/Kuva4.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvoezTzVfZyFf8daYWIFPNYGUXyDod-TpaYzgasE6pcxlhO8MhKWKcF7Yik9uL9L9qJu3ULTmyNGsvJ1JB0relbM-GF0joFZiOT_Wzrl6JRZx_31BO4QIKja8BYLXw22123LAqU2gWJB0/s1600/IMG_5034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvoezTzVfZyFf8daYWIFPNYGUXyDod-TpaYzgasE6pcxlhO8MhKWKcF7Yik9uL9L9qJu3ULTmyNGsvJ1JB0relbM-GF0joFZiOT_Wzrl6JRZx_31BO4QIKja8BYLXw22123LAqU2gWJB0/s320/IMG_5034.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The desperate melee goes on</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaFUSTiuFm3kTv1iL24DH0Rrbz0Wnzarg0zYOtkV8I9yiR7QKBf9Yh0ZB6rhYJNxU-Ud5KDWKHR3OVprGzScvBGoVynX8yL87Xv_X__m4vUfw4vrxaLA7P3NHXrXKJtwFY4EkWOw0AUg/s1600/IMG_5035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaFUSTiuFm3kTv1iL24DH0Rrbz0Wnzarg0zYOtkV8I9yiR7QKBf9Yh0ZB6rhYJNxU-Ud5KDWKHR3OVprGzScvBGoVynX8yL87Xv_X__m4vUfw4vrxaLA7P3NHXrXKJtwFY4EkWOw0AUg/s320/IMG_5035.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outnumbered and surrounded, the Manx Vikings are cut down (after they have driven off the two Irish units on the left)</td></tr>
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<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Epilogue</h3>
<div>
Although no stranger to the horrors of war, Brian Boru could not hold back his tears. Assisted by his bodyguard, the venerable high king had left his tent, where he had spent the day in prayer, to survey the field of glory in all its gory detail. The heaps of dead foes suggested that this had been a great victory. Yet the king's heart was heavy, for the victory had cost him the life of his son Murchad and grandson Toirdelbach. Many other great chieftains and noble warriors had also been cut down.</div>
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Brian Boru was now the indisputable high king of Ireland, but who would follow him? The 70-year old king had other sons, but none whose position was as secure as Murchad's had been. With so many magnates dead, alliances would have to be re-forged. Which of his sons should follow him? Could his position be secured before the high king's time would run out? With these thoughts and a heavy heart, Brian Boru wandered on amidst the dead and dying.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-30353339629857044072016-03-16T12:20:00.000-07:002016-03-16T12:20:50.934-07:00Great Northern War - Pskovski infantry regiment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So, we're starting a Great Northern War (1700 - 1721) <a href="http://25yearsofminis.blogspot.fi/p/project-great-northern-war-in-28mm.html">campaign </a>at our club. I didn't have any models for the period, but it wasn't a tough sell to convince me to purchase more toys.</div>
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Well, here is the first unit painted: the Russian Pskovski infantry regiment in the uniforms worn at the battle of Poltava 1709. The pretty little miniatures are from <a href="http://leagueofaugsburg.com/">Warfare Miniatures</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEp7mdwUzswEPGbCLX4k7jaieVOUx89EUDCX7Yxd7iXJ4ZkHpWb7vpQRwh1GEVAy99kEa90ssRUrilb9JlqhijEGToJ_m9iBkl_elRldhmInum9glcjsYhmYpJePoZ2Y8kbDMybZs7Y4/s1600/IMG_5014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEp7mdwUzswEPGbCLX4k7jaieVOUx89EUDCX7Yxd7iXJ4ZkHpWb7vpQRwh1GEVAy99kEa90ssRUrilb9JlqhijEGToJ_m9iBkl_elRldhmInum9glcjsYhmYpJePoZ2Y8kbDMybZs7Y4/s320/IMG_5014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sergeant has his hands full maintaining order</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The colonel has positioned his regiment just beyond the range of enemy artillery</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-67197403513835473712016-03-16T00:10:00.000-07:002016-03-16T00:10:07.334-07:00Bolt Action gaming day 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Another Bolt Action gaming day at the club. This time we had four scenarios run by games masters: Burma Road, Operation Market Garden, El Alamein and Portinhoikka. For a change, I wasn't running any of the games and instead just took part in the Portinhoikka game.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8F99SFtk8p-ckruKEVfis4S68gXIgEokMQz2Gd_dEQghCA2WntIr39Dokhpya3F1DksJYMKlfTygsxWQz921aYdYOphNqF8v4ERtnUusLvF_WUAoC_IMkfvN3SzO74nFVrCGjbb1Yo6c/s1600/IMG_4982.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8F99SFtk8p-ckruKEVfis4S68gXIgEokMQz2Gd_dEQghCA2WntIr39Dokhpya3F1DksJYMKlfTygsxWQz921aYdYOphNqF8v4ERtnUusLvF_WUAoC_IMkfvN3SzO74nFVrCGjbb1Yo6c/s320/IMG_4982.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Operation Market Garden</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjmFrHR7ULRSy5SMEoOBLOn6hkqRFz6LYXhmJimQ14nkLuiYmj1DphhhZLM_I0WVeRh47RX4zVpJG63mbEpLWIPHdNibkUe26MNnRtm4eCsd9Sx5RGVuNXT8_vgnfuFUHj8lMdb7mrJw/s1600/IMG_4983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjmFrHR7ULRSy5SMEoOBLOn6hkqRFz6LYXhmJimQ14nkLuiYmj1DphhhZLM_I0WVeRh47RX4zVpJG63mbEpLWIPHdNibkUe26MNnRtm4eCsd9Sx5RGVuNXT8_vgnfuFUHj8lMdb7mrJw/s320/IMG_4983.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A platoon of British paratroopers had to hold out against a larger German force.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08JqCOb-tKzSSpsGd27oSLQn-5WOxgb0SC3fLWNgfq-i8hzHslujeZG1tmaWGAOmD0CTOVUbO-FWITHmcIHEsk1YcTtA7rCIbZ2bXuqI06Q4EAQ9tspiEmOVFOWABrwe40omxCS-_BcU/s1600/IMG_4984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08JqCOb-tKzSSpsGd27oSLQn-5WOxgb0SC3fLWNgfq-i8hzHslujeZG1tmaWGAOmD0CTOVUbO-FWITHmcIHEsk1YcTtA7rCIbZ2bXuqI06Q4EAQ9tspiEmOVFOWABrwe40omxCS-_BcU/s320/IMG_4984.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the end, the Germans outflanked the British paras and overwhelmed their positions.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlnLO_2bU9T3YZRiCZ4wB1yFChzFfNpc_HXE52fQdv4gBYh6BMuPAlunKxKDm4-OlPeb4itxV8lmhxvXTANVbnrhzsJis0NOgZhLzziGVfJTxTgufLC3Yp9bJMAOr_O3Wf0lr7kWp1rk/s1600/IMG_4985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlnLO_2bU9T3YZRiCZ4wB1yFChzFfNpc_HXE52fQdv4gBYh6BMuPAlunKxKDm4-OlPeb4itxV8lmhxvXTANVbnrhzsJis0NOgZhLzziGVfJTxTgufLC3Yp9bJMAOr_O3Wf0lr7kWp1rk/s320/IMG_4985.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burma road. Commonwealth forces composed of Chindits and Gurkhas had to make a breakthrough along the road in a night attack.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP5tMDpJAeLa7xpmnWj0HvHw63wJVOIOUvI_q2NVZvPPXbkPmxRbXKO2SRmnqadONP__fSdS2AOJDCJ0TNnj9EKM6U4fG-a25aHedpjdyiwcYuVJHCPYbce-WHCceHUSDwjtUYmFmwdYc/s1600/IMG_4986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP5tMDpJAeLa7xpmnWj0HvHw63wJVOIOUvI_q2NVZvPPXbkPmxRbXKO2SRmnqadONP__fSdS2AOJDCJ0TNnj9EKM6U4fG-a25aHedpjdyiwcYuVJHCPYbce-WHCceHUSDwjtUYmFmwdYc/s320/IMG_4986.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Japanese forces lurk in the jungle.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqLIinJbnLXRmCiVMVoAkXDu7XBzRhCvgcBTs7kPCjUcaYzofPGrhNyPxXGLPlP7fPTTOZIzU_IhhF-Ufxej4yzRJXxui5g3yhf-ZdOO-4ysDEDsI32LVC8eXtUc6-J8nPxoM9_JNa0mo/s1600/IMG_4987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqLIinJbnLXRmCiVMVoAkXDu7XBzRhCvgcBTs7kPCjUcaYzofPGrhNyPxXGLPlP7fPTTOZIzU_IhhF-Ufxej4yzRJXxui5g3yhf-ZdOO-4ysDEDsI32LVC8eXtUc6-J8nPxoM9_JNa0mo/s320/IMG_4987.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gurkhas lead the Commonwealth assault.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3U2E5jVFbxaY0ToAmmPq9qgI5VPIosUIIsePw4NjsYdSKsYkpPgwKoCEAR2RZ_V2vuxvsiep1ujgyf-F6jGuGRnYQaeC4mhjLWFyaqDuV1EIWSrDBe4gQ6Ze9c9hukXcyW_kgNEhvqo/s1600/IMG_4991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3U2E5jVFbxaY0ToAmmPq9qgI5VPIosUIIsePw4NjsYdSKsYkpPgwKoCEAR2RZ_V2vuxvsiep1ujgyf-F6jGuGRnYQaeC4mhjLWFyaqDuV1EIWSrDBe4gQ6Ze9c9hukXcyW_kgNEhvqo/s320/IMG_4991.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Japanese soldier lies in ambush - in the end, the Japanese managed to counter-attack the Chindits and block any attempts of a breakthrough.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">El Alamein: The Germans attempt to breach the British lines</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjifBiQLERGIIjY6r2heOrxf3TcVswq0sdjnB5KtYblWkYLL1NN_p5p13mNlw5qKOaFI1ff9xalLN5h3VaX2dS1iDWQzcMeu-WknJDlXyiV1NU50PnsLrqkZBNPFQuiFbNwb8fJIRKeM/s1600/IMG_4989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjifBiQLERGIIjY6r2heOrxf3TcVswq0sdjnB5KtYblWkYLL1NN_p5p13mNlw5qKOaFI1ff9xalLN5h3VaX2dS1iDWQzcMeu-WknJDlXyiV1NU50PnsLrqkZBNPFQuiFbNwb8fJIRKeM/s320/IMG_4989.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Afrika Korps</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">British commandoes</td></tr>
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The most spectacular and the largest game was a custom-made scenario of the battle of Portinhoikka, where Soviet 45th Guard armoured division attempts to capture a crucial cross-roads from the Finns in the Karelian isthmus in June 1944. Historically, the assault was stopped by a Finnish armoured counter-attack.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portinhoikka cross-roads as viewed from the south (Soviet deployment zone)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finnish blocking forces have taken positions at the cross-roads</td></tr>
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The Soviet advance was preceded by a small armoured reconnaissance detachment (non-historically a BA-10 armoured car and T-26 obr 1931 light tank), which pushed forward aggressively. The Finnish PaK-40 anti-tank gun at the crossroads opened up prematurely and gave away their positions. The BA-10 reacted quickly and put the gun out of action with a lucky shot. The reconnaissance elements then radioed in the positions of the Finnish forces (removed "hidden" status). The Finns took their vengeance by taking out the BA-10 with accurate mortar fire, but this was little consolation for the lost anti-tank gun.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn41rWiSVwfxHR_Uiu9vHmm-hjVnTp49B6FwWtdSx2LZ95NKSytFWgWG173Z0Y62HYgZlRXHSYJXXPjM98XOiTg7Zhlc1MsWXKY8I-NS9MCgNo0hF1XiSsNJXA-nW99sC8wqE8IyoHn98/s1600/IMG_4994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn41rWiSVwfxHR_Uiu9vHmm-hjVnTp49B6FwWtdSx2LZ95NKSytFWgWG173Z0Y62HYgZlRXHSYJXXPjM98XOiTg7Zhlc1MsWXKY8I-NS9MCgNo0hF1XiSsNJXA-nW99sC8wqE8IyoHn98/s320/IMG_4994.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soviet reconnaissance moves forward aggressively</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Soon, the Soviet main force started to push forward en-masse. Three T-34/85 tanks and a platoon of infantry raced forward. The Finns had advanced with a squad of infantry, which opened fire on the attacking Soviets and distracted their advance. However, this was only a minor hiccup and soon the Finnish squad was routed and the main forces at the crossroads were struggling to hold their positions. Help was urgently needed!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNy4GgpG7m2sTIcrSXti_5MQP08ClpwxktsNV3nkBumqAUtSSkQTvRHKZ53mBmuRxYbmxYR9FWB-2moivncavas90SqWBgbdozdJAjrm7IqEX1vlaHdFDy7GkZKPjnr_W_Rw32v-VAYhk/s1600/IMG_4996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNy4GgpG7m2sTIcrSXti_5MQP08ClpwxktsNV3nkBumqAUtSSkQTvRHKZ53mBmuRxYbmxYR9FWB-2moivncavas90SqWBgbdozdJAjrm7IqEX1vlaHdFDy7GkZKPjnr_W_Rw32v-VAYhk/s320/IMG_4996.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Soviet main force arrives</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGcCNvJUcyrQ_-uKEH08xs9hCl4ryWIyttWf3gjhvwvl3s6Bcl5DfFv1AG_qVIU5mHagBOiOcJVK_BpeKWVixv7MaAHNz8QExSLnHjQ0tTBxdtlsErK06c18zPxDi83JDuH-9lk7fdmI/s1600/IMG_4997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGcCNvJUcyrQ_-uKEH08xs9hCl4ryWIyttWf3gjhvwvl3s6Bcl5DfFv1AG_qVIU5mHagBOiOcJVK_BpeKWVixv7MaAHNz8QExSLnHjQ0tTBxdtlsErK06c18zPxDi83JDuH-9lk7fdmI/s320/IMG_4997.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoqssIApfPE9I1D1fXytbxK1OFv7p0hGIGh6_90VB14uzL0-xmWoggM5ulllp5p1kJz95AreQQSPl-05B2d3tkGRtfs5jLtpyUcnI1P3ReIJ5CIwFMz9FwlYWfRfcSL8ERxmAsiaNfnM/s1600/IMG_4998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoqssIApfPE9I1D1fXytbxK1OFv7p0hGIGh6_90VB14uzL0-xmWoggM5ulllp5p1kJz95AreQQSPl-05B2d3tkGRtfs5jLtpyUcnI1P3ReIJ5CIwFMz9FwlYWfRfcSL8ERxmAsiaNfnM/s320/IMG_4998.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uraaaa!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYQs1ZSFCoFW3y68-KBPM7dkuvACJpDIRBIriFQ5ll1KclfZtYaMRWq_BJIXhzuLDtgj3LaRdyE2-iMvhaZfplamSbY_048KLRHU0dbyDkSn1Od3PkY9JaXVzhsf0C1S5iyStmC49rw4/s1600/IMG_4999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYQs1ZSFCoFW3y68-KBPM7dkuvACJpDIRBIriFQ5ll1KclfZtYaMRWq_BJIXhzuLDtgj3LaRdyE2-iMvhaZfplamSbY_048KLRHU0dbyDkSn1Od3PkY9JaXVzhsf0C1S5iyStmC49rw4/s320/IMG_4999.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finnish forward positions just before being overwhelmed.</td></tr>
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Finnish reserves began arriving from the north (opposite to the Soviet entry point). Several squads of infantry, a KV-1 and a T-34/76 raced to the rescue and opened fire on the Soviets, which were already at the crossroads. The T-34/76 was manned by a Finnish tank-ace Reino Lehväslaiho, who quickly despatched the enemy's lead tank. This Soviet tanks manoeuvred into better cover and returned fire with great effect. Soon both Finnish tanks were knocked out together with a Finnish panzerschreck team that advanced a bit too boldly. Reino survived the hit and continued the fight on foot together with two of the crew.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpnZ13LGYdjUycR1CTLd9ISEYRKhqd8maDlr8qClxvl2X7MSL-jUH_Ee_DPE26XJ-SVW6LU3drrz6gOz4qNwitxMO98F3TAQA4pzHqv7eII6i6tswbCHjOGPPoUza2yaXlbbUVWOyjSY/s1600/IMG_5001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpnZ13LGYdjUycR1CTLd9ISEYRKhqd8maDlr8qClxvl2X7MSL-jUH_Ee_DPE26XJ-SVW6LU3drrz6gOz4qNwitxMO98F3TAQA4pzHqv7eII6i6tswbCHjOGPPoUza2yaXlbbUVWOyjSY/s320/IMG_5001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finnish reserves race to the rescue</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3I13ApGz80FecM6rIy3I-DLnZom8cIc4F-GlF3P2DQ7Yw-xvmZx9cF_Y1HD3cisklCAsrEIQWcl7JVVLLaiHpXAhDuEO46V_o3NeNir6an9Z0oeaSUmoZxHNFERBVG4ckfxBlBWPIks/s1600/IMG_5002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3I13ApGz80FecM6rIy3I-DLnZom8cIc4F-GlF3P2DQ7Yw-xvmZx9cF_Y1HD3cisklCAsrEIQWcl7JVVLLaiHpXAhDuEO46V_o3NeNir6an9Z0oeaSUmoZxHNFERBVG4ckfxBlBWPIks/s320/IMG_5002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soviet tanks try to hold the cross-roads long enough for the infantry to secure it</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisCgJpu6rSnEDkOBr_GkfKt104grnoEgUGlQwagUa4zbsk6ftP1iGIT1pKLpCvF1wU9YeSBmTIr5Rqk7Lr0D-qmoOIXNxbyREoodJOs_1iBEUgOgOFM1VExJjag57hqTN2hk2AWiKa3Ek/s1600/IMG_5004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisCgJpu6rSnEDkOBr_GkfKt104grnoEgUGlQwagUa4zbsk6ftP1iGIT1pKLpCvF1wU9YeSBmTIr5Rqk7Lr0D-qmoOIXNxbyREoodJOs_1iBEUgOgOFM1VExJjag57hqTN2hk2AWiKa3Ek/s320/IMG_5004.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finnish tanks knocked out</td></tr>
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The Soviet tanks were busy congratulating themselves when a new threat appeared - two StuGs rumbled onto the battlefield from the east. The StuGs quickly flanked the disoriented Soviet tanks</div>
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and knocked one out. By this time, the Soviets had received further reinforcements in the form of two more T-34/85s and a platoon of infantry. The reinforcements were desperately needed, as the Soviet first wave had become bogged down just south of the crossroads due to losses and withering fire. The StuGs had advanced too far without support and were assaulted by Soviet infantry near the crossroads. One of the Stugs was quickly despatched and the other was forced to retreat. With a shout, the Soviet infantry raced forward and stormed the crossroads. This was too much for the Finns, who turned tail and ran. Victory for the Soviets!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPq8xNSaAT6k9NGWBXtDi-y5k5-r6T3NWPUYpuRXrolqWo496ymsd0ncP6lKWY2PSQoO4XgMT4M8nm8sW32x1jNVsidPl4YtwmPCCz4GS-XIreNzo3yMrRx4sEBBjsvcYhrnjAT14V_c/s1600/IMG_5005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPq8xNSaAT6k9NGWBXtDi-y5k5-r6T3NWPUYpuRXrolqWo496ymsd0ncP6lKWY2PSQoO4XgMT4M8nm8sW32x1jNVsidPl4YtwmPCCz4GS-XIreNzo3yMrRx4sEBBjsvcYhrnjAT14V_c/s320/IMG_5005.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finnish Stugs outflank the Soviet tanks</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHEPuzdxxg3XJLmtVJEsuddLCGMRLA5FVfmGhheIdk3zHwrm7uXuGnLu7Ku1JmV2OxwJUuAvQQK2smLxwmHmd7OG8M1bNnqVN6lNKL4T9Gh2yWle4s1MQlouL7zdmZpUjPbqiy2mn1N14/s1600/IMG_5006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHEPuzdxxg3XJLmtVJEsuddLCGMRLA5FVfmGhheIdk3zHwrm7uXuGnLu7Ku1JmV2OxwJUuAvQQK2smLxwmHmd7OG8M1bNnqVN6lNKL4T9Gh2yWle4s1MQlouL7zdmZpUjPbqiy2mn1N14/s320/IMG_5006.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tanks are burning</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTISPYfeKmT-ZG6-r2KY-946Z6vwi6u3smw_YfglyCcAScsQH6fqqEZj0G1k6J_j_FvJ_i95-EWpA-byK96Zn-jOsz8MPUE8mQODkQnd7mpywckVD0PJH-QsKSBeLLixTxqvCKQ4ZIFnM/s1600/IMG_5007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTISPYfeKmT-ZG6-r2KY-946Z6vwi6u3smw_YfglyCcAScsQH6fqqEZj0G1k6J_j_FvJ_i95-EWpA-byK96Zn-jOsz8MPUE8mQODkQnd7mpywckVD0PJH-QsKSBeLLixTxqvCKQ4ZIFnM/s320/IMG_5007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soviet infantry captures the cross-road. The price has been high for both sides.</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-14811864832663701962016-03-06T13:36:00.001-08:002016-03-06T13:36:42.947-08:00Return to Grimdark<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As with most gamers, I originally got into the hobby with Games Workshop's games. These used to be all the rage, and I even worked as a GW salesman for some five years during my studies. Slowly, other games infiltrated my hobby time and my massive Fantasy and Warhammer 40K collections haven't seen any action for the past 3-4 years. It was high time to return to the Grimdark!</div>
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We decided to play a 1.500 point game of Warhammer 40K with a good friend, whom I originally met via 40K some 15 years ago. Fortunately he'd been playing the game recently and could inculcate me in the newest set of rules. The scenario pit my loyal Space Marines against traitorous Chaos Marines and their Daemonic allies. The Chaos Marines had desecrated the ruins of an Imperial temple and opened a portal through which they had begun to summon all manner of hellish fiends. My objective was to capture and close the portal. Secondary objectives were to rescue a downed Space Marine pilot and extract a portable monitoring station.</div>
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My force consisted of a demi-company of marines from the Raptors chapter (50 space marines following "Codex" organization) led by Chaplain Kerberos. Due to the unholy nature of the mission, this task-force was reinforced by Librarian Nestor and a squad of Terminators, who would be arriving from deep-strike. A squad of Chaos Marines, Keeper of Secrets, Dreadnought and a Maulerfiend were deployed within the temple. Plenty more Chaos filth would be arriving from the warp.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrmRaUgW14OnUL2qZxQ1PU4CgCnIHUy5UzZe6ZmnfZpAnAWJZLF9ohoe2VxUDDaiGG_uczQt_eYoVT8GTyr4ME-jqWjHuE73Iwm0zXZwSWrrGSig4l1dULaR_d3uzUBgg9SraKSl0TaJE/s1600/IMG_0291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrmRaUgW14OnUL2qZxQ1PU4CgCnIHUy5UzZe6ZmnfZpAnAWJZLF9ohoe2VxUDDaiGG_uczQt_eYoVT8GTyr4ME-jqWjHuE73Iwm0zXZwSWrrGSig4l1dULaR_d3uzUBgg9SraKSl0TaJE/s320/IMG_0291.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRE6vw6vq3ojmYgC5PeSoiusNRWPjsTk9CgB-XQdBtK25WD1tDuAf24Atw3muaW99c0ZRRPgrXyYY1_WeKRwpKxEVrClO33FKb6yqGxHdg9eSLbMMRarU3BxTapwe8z1s7BLCbhJKv6c/s1600/IMG_0292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRE6vw6vq3ojmYgC5PeSoiusNRWPjsTk9CgB-XQdBtK25WD1tDuAf24Atw3muaW99c0ZRRPgrXyYY1_WeKRwpKxEVrClO33FKb6yqGxHdg9eSLbMMRarU3BxTapwe8z1s7BLCbhJKv6c/s320/IMG_0292.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unholy rites taking place within the desecrated temple</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXB05LSbB8bFFK6gVn_Yt88n2Fexo_eLbVkCT-lXoSZBvm1DJKiZ7BM0lb0fejYgkUjpByfq5QMB8kLDlvKz5LU2hXP85tNEUyqFGBCvsB9_NbuqBcyyPh4qbcEtO-C_K_5ZWIDQcoTCo/s1600/IMG_0293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXB05LSbB8bFFK6gVn_Yt88n2Fexo_eLbVkCT-lXoSZBvm1DJKiZ7BM0lb0fejYgkUjpByfq5QMB8kLDlvKz5LU2hXP85tNEUyqFGBCvsB9_NbuqBcyyPh4qbcEtO-C_K_5ZWIDQcoTCo/s320/IMG_0293.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not a man left behind!</td></tr>
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I started the game by rushing forward with most of my army. In the centre, two Tactical squads raced forward in Rhinos, while a squad of Assault Marines hovered closely behind. A third Tactical Squad advanced on my right and rapidly formed a perimeter around the wounded pilot. My Devastators had been split into two 5-man squads and took up good firing positions on either flank.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5ImeXOjz75cidSdKBfWsNzOlJ_4N7n4Ye0RkPCJYW2rMz7RXCeuphD9G9SakFciusFalkQr9o_qS34s7hkTwLd-Yy8GEWpaql00ypU9_Wmd_TdwyIvCCBF9DWKpba4E4cjtyab1b_ok/s1600/IMG_0294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5ImeXOjz75cidSdKBfWsNzOlJ_4N7n4Ye0RkPCJYW2rMz7RXCeuphD9G9SakFciusFalkQr9o_qS34s7hkTwLd-Yy8GEWpaql00ypU9_Wmd_TdwyIvCCBF9DWKpba4E4cjtyab1b_ok/s320/IMG_0294.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Devastators take up firing positions</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz6w0QNkenOEci1R5jt8J2xOV8yYYlmpPA0f1iZHm82xfxbk5EV76k6gwYQOshKuv99LFbPd_IMiOFOvf4-vvL2TIu1zJ15lPaBSYunNXnszXliDJ_LgW1V7V6G8C8D8tZq8ToEcthzd0/s1600/IMG_0295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz6w0QNkenOEci1R5jt8J2xOV8yYYlmpPA0f1iZHm82xfxbk5EV76k6gwYQOshKuv99LFbPd_IMiOFOvf4-vvL2TIu1zJ15lPaBSYunNXnszXliDJ_LgW1V7V6G8C8D8tZq8ToEcthzd0/s320/IMG_0295.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhino transports advance under a smoke screen</td></tr>
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As soon as my loyalists approached, the forces of Chaos spewed forth from the temple. The Keeper of Secrets took to its wings and started casting nasty spells on my forces. The daemonic war-engines rushed for my marines, with the Maulerfiend ripping open one of the Rhino transports. A second Rhino was fortunately protected by the smoke screen.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizYhSGOkz-W3Rn-kst624hhFN6HXzVGDdbv3hRtB24VpCWoSUMFpe81IdhwtD5nsKDwr053b_4PKD91Tvn0gBS3qP7F5Bm8JalBGuqKhJKBUK2fKNhBxX4rhzFG0CHfqDK4_D06kvZcfM/s1600/IMG_0296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizYhSGOkz-W3Rn-kst624hhFN6HXzVGDdbv3hRtB24VpCWoSUMFpe81IdhwtD5nsKDwr053b_4PKD91Tvn0gBS3qP7F5Bm8JalBGuqKhJKBUK2fKNhBxX4rhzFG0CHfqDK4_D06kvZcfM/s320/IMG_0296.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chaos monstrosities spill forth and rapidly wreck the one of the Rhinos</td></tr>
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Unperturbed, my marines raced forward to secure the temple. Supported by Nestor's deep-striking terminators, a squad of tactical marines and a squad of assault marines stormed the temple and knocked out the Chaos Dreadnought and most of the Chaos Marines. Purple fires flickered and black shadows flashed at the edge of the marine's vision as reality was ripped asunder. In an instant, these shadows had materialized into a might Daemon Prince and a great score of lesser daemons.</div>
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The daemons unleashed horrible psychic attacks on the marines, who stood their ground and unleashed a storm of sanctified bolter rounds and flamer gushes at the daemons. This did not deter the unholy daemons, who assault the loyalist marines both within the temple and near the secondary objectives.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi80QCoX_vgLOWGdSZzFB2Eogu3uEhcH6LBLAekqlP45WOKv3oVadmxSUNBtSgezsZ9pS7pPGm7naNCheAA-Uk-JneR8K9Rx8BvPMP5nzzcATtq2c5xrsNQsonVd8ZPv6iVkRYfntsB1y0/s1600/IMG_0297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi80QCoX_vgLOWGdSZzFB2Eogu3uEhcH6LBLAekqlP45WOKv3oVadmxSUNBtSgezsZ9pS7pPGm7naNCheAA-Uk-JneR8K9Rx8BvPMP5nzzcATtq2c5xrsNQsonVd8ZPv6iVkRYfntsB1y0/s320/IMG_0297.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Space Marines storm the temple</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbWaxTRXxgPaYVUBgu84oJ86mY57VHB5BkGowPQ6dcyf9SgAATCg_o6LfgB9mbbZ2YNi0119X_K_ZmMdeKuAcYAY7ezkcUaVOCySEi-S9eORVSbrK52yY7SugGkCMLNnt0s-3unJ7NgY8/s1600/IMG_0298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbWaxTRXxgPaYVUBgu84oJ86mY57VHB5BkGowPQ6dcyf9SgAATCg_o6LfgB9mbbZ2YNi0119X_K_ZmMdeKuAcYAY7ezkcUaVOCySEi-S9eORVSbrK52yY7SugGkCMLNnt0s-3unJ7NgY8/s320/IMG_0298.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daemons emerge...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Sn5QstWp-OlY8VB9pHzvSf9w_DoXmtFX1hXMi34g8pAnm59Y3KDKVy7p7tsJvoY8PN8Q10_sIc7HjHY_cFkL7eixgJioGhc9XMMWeb42idQ1T_MhyGO0cOljrLyd5YYruUh1I5_zBbs/s1600/IMG_0300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Sn5QstWp-OlY8VB9pHzvSf9w_DoXmtFX1hXMi34g8pAnm59Y3KDKVy7p7tsJvoY8PN8Q10_sIc7HjHY_cFkL7eixgJioGhc9XMMWeb42idQ1T_MhyGO0cOljrLyd5YYruUh1I5_zBbs/s320/IMG_0300.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and more daemons ...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO90NDUQD8cTCCgAVcenw7s5f1_BKT6E3U5SflqJOpYRPsVlLvg7TdvfKIeHIlOE35cvT_6PIXa7oWU3fQE8marV1fluN3NcEYG2i05dLnU9LZNuUxwkd4TrCyiLrlzAyoDCBQmBLi_PE/s1600/IMG_0302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO90NDUQD8cTCCgAVcenw7s5f1_BKT6E3U5SflqJOpYRPsVlLvg7TdvfKIeHIlOE35cvT_6PIXa7oWU3fQE8marV1fluN3NcEYG2i05dLnU9LZNuUxwkd4TrCyiLrlzAyoDCBQmBLi_PE/s320/IMG_0302.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and more daemons!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZXoomOAbbK5CaCcqCa8ptEFhhybHrvS_N9mKxJWzB0_x3jD53kLl6H_-xqDvohw09GEYJS3pXTVgIh-L791QI6APnpXRddIZuMZfhG5GctL8AwmvAUo7NnpjcQZ9eagfZjl_h2-xJK8/s1600/IMG_0301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZXoomOAbbK5CaCcqCa8ptEFhhybHrvS_N9mKxJWzB0_x3jD53kLl6H_-xqDvohw09GEYJS3pXTVgIh-L791QI6APnpXRddIZuMZfhG5GctL8AwmvAUo7NnpjcQZ9eagfZjl_h2-xJK8/s320/IMG_0301.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Furious combat erupts on the objective</td></tr>
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In a few graceful strides, the Daemon Prince was upon Nestor and his bodyguard. The ancient Space Marine Librarian knew what was coming, said a few blessed words and readied his force axe and storm shield. The Space Marine hero parried the Daemon's strokes, but that was all he could do. The Daemon moved with unholy speed and even with the gift of psychic foresight, the Librarian was hard pressed to keep up. The parries were becoming ever more sluggish, until the revered Space Marine hero finally missed his mark. The Daemon Prince's blade sliced through Nestor's armour like a knife through butter. At first, the cut seemed pleasant, even rapturous. The caress of the daemonic sword was fickle though and, in the blink of an eye, the sensation became one of utmost agony. The Librarian died screaming.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpD5xn_BRaAojMiChUJTqIUs5BrpTsHmkaHeW-SSWal6oQACaIxgAse1zomXzui1nnigcrwswLSPqFHY6wP_s0DoGpiCWW7_7xqGsyzf3t41qqz8E2i1XXVvnkxbArwmnB0Web544PhY/s1600/IMG_0303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpD5xn_BRaAojMiChUJTqIUs5BrpTsHmkaHeW-SSWal6oQACaIxgAse1zomXzui1nnigcrwswLSPqFHY6wP_s0DoGpiCWW7_7xqGsyzf3t41qqz8E2i1XXVvnkxbArwmnB0Web544PhY/s320/IMG_0303.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A struggle of titans</td></tr>
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The lesser daemons infesting the temple were eliminated after a short combat, after which the remaining marines turned to assist the beleaguered Librarian. The succour came too late and the marines were forced to watch as their champion was struck down. With a savage scream, Chaplain Kerberos led the tactical and assault marines against the Daemonic monstrosity. The Daemon Prince struck down a great many of the marines, but there were simply too many of the Emperor's Finest. In the end, the daemonic monstrosity was overwhelmed and sent back to the Warp.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJD29DJhUzEJLgs_7gd1Zt1KApONR4kpLwpVia5eaYpYMhFrnbM3CKtJJI45OwkCLR4J4g8PXYdKCuPy800O0an4ZXTmepiBp_pjcjhFGsAvyGXkxg4LqRwkgnGhiMUUX8TTX8GNd1P9Q/s1600/IMG_0304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJD29DJhUzEJLgs_7gd1Zt1KApONR4kpLwpVia5eaYpYMhFrnbM3CKtJJI45OwkCLR4J4g8PXYdKCuPy800O0an4ZXTmepiBp_pjcjhFGsAvyGXkxg4LqRwkgnGhiMUUX8TTX8GNd1P9Q/s320/IMG_0304.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Daemon Prince is overwhelmed</td></tr>
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The Daemonic incursion had been repelled in other sectors as well, and the Space Marines now controlled most of the battlefield. The few remaining Chaos Marines fled the field and the Space Marines proceeded to despatch the few remaining daemons from this world. Chaplain Kerberos hurriedly closed the Chaos portal and started the arduous process of re-sanctifying the temple with blessings and holy seals. This incursion had been stopped before it could get out of hand, but where would the arch-enemy strike next?</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-9486654045194879792016-02-08T13:56:00.000-08:002016-02-08T14:17:56.271-08:00Winter War 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For the second year in a row, I organized the Flames of War tournament for our club's main event of the year: "Winter War 2016". The event had 130+ gamers playing tournaments from 6 game systems. In Flames of War, we had 19 gamers playing 5 games over two days. It was a blast!</div>
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As the name suggests, the tournament was winter themed with 2/5 games being played with "winter rules" (deep snow and either dawn or dusk). It was fought with 1750 point Late War armies. The tournament, including set-up and dismantling went really smoothly. The schedule held, the atmosphere was great and the games were played in a very friendly and relaxed manner.</div>
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It was nice to see quite a few new armies at the tournament, which had clearly generated some hype amongst the generals. In particular, the visiting gamers from Lahti had created wonderful armies, which were both beautiful and intensely thematic. Below is a pic stolen from their collective blog. For more awesomeness, please visit their blog <a href="http://achtungpainter.com/">AchtungPainter!</a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_nV3luZ0NbIMCBHQvobrrlggifiR5jg4An8xBPNrXF5_N3cAX_RgTqsYK5zPSjX8jrkVVjgfj-YYK7kxxSPY8BJnQ3A5ym9rWm1pkr3Zx0o81fFCri1HFQDR7amQgA5u0qoiARu5z0Q/s1600/Panthers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_nV3luZ0NbIMCBHQvobrrlggifiR5jg4An8xBPNrXF5_N3cAX_RgTqsYK5zPSjX8jrkVVjgfj-YYK7kxxSPY8BJnQ3A5ym9rWm1pkr3Zx0o81fFCri1HFQDR7amQgA5u0qoiARu5z0Q/s320/Panthers.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panthers painted by Immo, courtesy of www.achtungpainter.com</td></tr>
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Ok... now onto my version of how things went down.</div>
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Game 1: No Retreat</h4>
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For the first game, my Soviet Forward Detachment was paired against a German Tank Company. I was tasked with defending a heavily built up crossroads against the onslaught of roughly 10 Panzer IV's, two mechanized platoons plus supporting platoons. I dug in a large platoon of infantry at the crossroads and placed a platoon of 5 KV-85's on my left flank. Two looted tanks were in ambush on my right while the rest of my force were in reserve.</div>
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The game went pretty much as I envisioned. The Germans amassed all their strength on their left flank. My ambushing tanks (a captured Tiger and a Panzer IV) plus my reserves (5 T-34/85s and 3 SU-122's) countered this move and knocked out a few enemy tanks. The Germans effortlessly redirected their attack onto the other flank and seized the buildings with their infantry. My KV-85's, on the left flank, gave some ground so as not to be outflanked or assaulted by panzerfaust-wielding Germans. The German's launched an assault with their infantry in the centre, which I brutally put down with machine gun fire. The Germans were running out of steam. On my left, the German tanks were knocked out one by one by the superior Soviet tanks. After a while, the Germans had to throw in the towel and concede the game. A clear 6-1 victory for me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDL5dO2-sR1Gq_fZk50-KExZn1xk5Qujrw8ATDXlIL47aMOpHMwIIjKNOS1hfvA_36nVDFEIRDwo8fTy6RpkI6KyHJv6Ga2oC-mPIhLHTw1Oec64nOOt6t1nYylkY9HLAgTIFCrqBkZNA/s1600/IMG_4885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDL5dO2-sR1Gq_fZk50-KExZn1xk5Qujrw8ATDXlIL47aMOpHMwIIjKNOS1hfvA_36nVDFEIRDwo8fTy6RpkI6KyHJv6Ga2oC-mPIhLHTw1Oec64nOOt6t1nYylkY9HLAgTIFCrqBkZNA/s320/IMG_4885.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deployment - The panzers amass heavily on the left</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMb6CLNIveyKUYrWx9nMzIN2-Cf3WBT1sfXAFyXJF2hysigs0dUnsWW1YR53n9i4mAxpycC7sgKKJHhjTXo_QV9dAz6lkDpQayO02vqYmk3Z-2MD1UjR6dZLmirhCG9L7KKpunfp6mmJo/s1600/IMG_4886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMb6CLNIveyKUYrWx9nMzIN2-Cf3WBT1sfXAFyXJF2hysigs0dUnsWW1YR53n9i4mAxpycC7sgKKJHhjTXo_QV9dAz6lkDpQayO02vqYmk3Z-2MD1UjR6dZLmirhCG9L7KKpunfp6mmJo/s320/IMG_4886.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KV-85's ready to repel the Fascists!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRAQ0j-Nlb_2g-Ew14Ua2jQTMCKZzaD6y4_4j2tRI7Jh4Up0xlX39ngWDEY_G7rfijZON7Xha2j_VJK-xR3yWIeXl3lFg1gSHRDpHpjuu79wntjZq1e1poZO5kfapBpRFqBbm7O2Sl7VY/s1600/IMG_4887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRAQ0j-Nlb_2g-Ew14Ua2jQTMCKZzaD6y4_4j2tRI7Jh4Up0xlX39ngWDEY_G7rfijZON7Xha2j_VJK-xR3yWIeXl3lFg1gSHRDpHpjuu79wntjZq1e1poZO5kfapBpRFqBbm7O2Sl7VY/s320/IMG_4887.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjaiIxkcwgK5nx_HTlQXjFaI7iHBtcd5jVm_7bdzZECUTVPozInKyytV-BPBWTMGFiakTEMaKvrHKgB_oMejFoO7eN41Xzi5Mkx-nlB0R8JHQjfEA-hm0zODsCcPKRyJAaI0z0uXZZx0/s1600/IMG_4888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjaiIxkcwgK5nx_HTlQXjFaI7iHBtcd5jVm_7bdzZECUTVPozInKyytV-BPBWTMGFiakTEMaKvrHKgB_oMejFoO7eN41Xzi5Mkx-nlB0R8JHQjfEA-hm0zODsCcPKRyJAaI0z0uXZZx0/s320/IMG_4888.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Germans pounce on the seemingly undefended left flank</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQTZuMIGJb-8fh5OYlzX3wWRFglghyphenhyphennmRDQo4Gi5tyU6p4PrhcaQ3-TjrKaAG559FKHFsPOtk9M7wq-oNgMvhp0xELn7soLprcQcY7t2MsmcixP-ofx_ZPVIHIwRYiJCvWK3SVnpBklf8/s1600/IMG_4889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQTZuMIGJb-8fh5OYlzX3wWRFglghyphenhyphennmRDQo4Gi5tyU6p4PrhcaQ3-TjrKaAG559FKHFsPOtk9M7wq-oNgMvhp0xELn7soLprcQcY7t2MsmcixP-ofx_ZPVIHIwRYiJCvWK3SVnpBklf8/s320/IMG_4889.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KV-85's advance and open fire on the panzers advancing on the opposite flank</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pi6EAaLiWISU7FiY7qavmaPEK9FVn68Vl031jvxQOHc7fS53j5UngDOkk8fvD4xc_ITsktoWFHy1XLIXScyOuB0v9vODm9Nf8nR6dK_1VVRZjJnK05S-7SvJH71juzf1ytBAeoIfoxc/s1600/IMG_4890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pi6EAaLiWISU7FiY7qavmaPEK9FVn68Vl031jvxQOHc7fS53j5UngDOkk8fvD4xc_ITsktoWFHy1XLIXScyOuB0v9vODm9Nf8nR6dK_1VVRZjJnK05S-7SvJH71juzf1ytBAeoIfoxc/s320/IMG_4890.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looted panzers appear from ambush whilst T-34/85s race forward from reserve</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpu2D4vBERUOzUdTgyK9aZOPrDrOQ2D2wg7KZOimUKLV00tdUl3IP29jEohXtpyyZjtR0C_4NTVB7ye0FhTX_01q57KtjkpnEi-rjJNDspawpvVk6sTt32Gq-oVeqBexUWXW7xGDUSRAY/s1600/IMG_4891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpu2D4vBERUOzUdTgyK9aZOPrDrOQ2D2wg7KZOimUKLV00tdUl3IP29jEohXtpyyZjtR0C_4NTVB7ye0FhTX_01q57KtjkpnEi-rjJNDspawpvVk6sTt32Gq-oVeqBexUWXW7xGDUSRAY/s320/IMG_4891.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A number of Panzers are knocked out</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrw_d2V4zMjYRJlLC0EabCZZrh5nuPHunqdPy27LaKvcfp5zeQAqtqMpLGQKPXsnoyAxxEjLjM_hWnhAW2y2QuJYrLwyBbesqdvvDHFJVeMyBxFZI-380MT5ruJCKJf5u-WjAQGGO9Tz0/s1600/IMG_4892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrw_d2V4zMjYRJlLC0EabCZZrh5nuPHunqdPy27LaKvcfp5zeQAqtqMpLGQKPXsnoyAxxEjLjM_hWnhAW2y2QuJYrLwyBbesqdvvDHFJVeMyBxFZI-380MT5ruJCKJf5u-WjAQGGO9Tz0/s320/IMG_4892.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Germans effortlessly swift their "schwerpunkt" to the right</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbH850rbqnrTmtwRgoXS0jqngzjck5Qk-zDs9gk_qlDkemCwSBXRyWFe7IyQv4b6mxh9M9QJBQSc4qzWtEuWNb0wq7OFD2WiWCtZKjfDbvZ52dgwbrLfU4g57XXbbJrnZOjlIAD3LH9kU/s1600/IMG_4893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbH850rbqnrTmtwRgoXS0jqngzjck5Qk-zDs9gk_qlDkemCwSBXRyWFe7IyQv4b6mxh9M9QJBQSc4qzWtEuWNb0wq7OFD2WiWCtZKjfDbvZ52dgwbrLfU4g57XXbbJrnZOjlIAD3LH9kU/s320/IMG_4893.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soviet tanks start taking casualties, pull back and manage to destroy both the attacking infantry and the German panzers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h4>
Game 2: Counterattack</h4>
The second scenario was fought using "winter rules" (everything is slow going and the attacker can choose whether to use dawn or dusk rules). I was once again forced to defend - this time against a German infantry company led by Major Kästner (a special character that makes the infantry an "always attacks" list - reflecting a historical break out attack from the Korsun pocket). From a narrative point of view this seemed legit, but put me in the worst possible situation. With "mobile reserves" in play, I could only place the weakest half of my force on the table (my large infantry company, small Radzevski platoon without their transports and the two captured German tanks) whilst the rest would arrive very far away, from reserve and with the snow limiting their mobility.<br />
<br />
The starting position was sufficiently desperate that the best I hoped to achieve was a 3-4 loss. To this end, I placed by infantry in a staggered formation that would delay them as much as possible (forward pushed teams would prevent the Germans making reconnaissance moves and limit losses from their assaults). This went pretty much as I planned, with my men steadily giving ground to the Germans, slowing down their attack at the cost of a steady loss of men on my side.<br />
<br />
Most of the Germans advanced in one mass towards my objective, but a few platoons fanned left to counter my reserves, which began arriving from the opposite corner. These Germans occupied good positions in the small village to their left, which my tanks began pummelling. I couldn't just bypass the village and with a platoon of German StuG's and several PaK-40's deploying on the reverse slope of a crest overlooking the village, casualties began to mount on both sides.<br />
<br />
In the end, my tanks managed to kill all of the German infantry defending the village and give the German anti-tank assets on the hill a bloody nose as well. However, this was too little and too late, as I simply didn't have the time to push on with my tanks onto the objectives, which the Germans had by now captured and entrenched around. That said, I managed to achieve my objective and lost "only" by a margin of 4-3.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEJr6Z9hyphenhyphenuXwR37q4fUQYX8G6n6XUe7XtLoGiO7gY46sSyerxl3P144uc9kzK23IYr9NIbTtUyZKX03hrPJIPV346ANkCSoKUfnRasVuQVDZBZUI4KOKXOuovzZBqfmyyRryS2SuMfcQ/s1600/IMG_4895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEJr6Z9hyphenhyphenuXwR37q4fUQYX8G6n6XUe7XtLoGiO7gY46sSyerxl3P144uc9kzK23IYr9NIbTtUyZKX03hrPJIPV346ANkCSoKUfnRasVuQVDZBZUI4KOKXOuovzZBqfmyyRryS2SuMfcQ/s320/IMG_4895.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Germans mill about in their corner, ready to launch a dawn attack at the "thin red line" (aka outnumbered Russian infantry)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUvpQZe0398QlpfCSkTrEa8kSVCFMp_Ndb8A-Tsyn8AR3ygHqxF5qddMvPq1JE_nK-MeKGlI7y1N8iLg5kLPqi-0e531w6kZ-upAJ9-lVWXJTrccFN6J77j8JAo8KO_PSvmmExNfW4vs/s1600/IMG_4896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUvpQZe0398QlpfCSkTrEa8kSVCFMp_Ndb8A-Tsyn8AR3ygHqxF5qddMvPq1JE_nK-MeKGlI7y1N8iLg5kLPqi-0e531w6kZ-upAJ9-lVWXJTrccFN6J77j8JAo8KO_PSvmmExNfW4vs/s320/IMG_4896.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAtUCL1aeXSB9w8c3505KIcMPG30lykIAjF6JufYMEkV5wbJPkd3txxyk0rMl3dZI-yWR1Qo7l-_eO7_OPgYms7XvMPlSrQ_HXTzFPaRE7wXpAw0H6Ax57d-WIEd2wgCpqSfXeEcU3xs/s1600/IMG_4897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAtUCL1aeXSB9w8c3505KIcMPG30lykIAjF6JufYMEkV5wbJPkd3txxyk0rMl3dZI-yWR1Qo7l-_eO7_OPgYms7XvMPlSrQ_HXTzFPaRE7wXpAw0H6Ax57d-WIEd2wgCpqSfXeEcU3xs/s320/IMG_4897.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Russian infantry gives ground as the Fascist hordes push forward</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2m8rc3y8hTCyX_vdYCB642iBoMki4yiruAUll3rFIXTcKJ_p1bKWyz0EAsFVJoPRVwG06BHE2wZDqNiJ1f0qEWLfhOTFE6osjp_sVGzjgnfycBvuEgR8440d94RhkiTgX4fQgckmZmas/s1600/IMG_4898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2m8rc3y8hTCyX_vdYCB642iBoMki4yiruAUll3rFIXTcKJ_p1bKWyz0EAsFVJoPRVwG06BHE2wZDqNiJ1f0qEWLfhOTFE6osjp_sVGzjgnfycBvuEgR8440d94RhkiTgX4fQgckmZmas/s320/IMG_4898.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KV-85's arrive from reserve and engage German infantry holding the village</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifh9JwLqK_rV98_IJtv_VS8KCqf7GYoxDHpWMgRkPTzV0EODBzTwLZg34q-umZ_x1sfR3wLSxLogvqf7kzUkrSnSUAKWVIHeakFBp1w9EcGD_1e6n0prhKee51esq0nCFz7pQFBMQM1oY/s1600/IMG_4901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifh9JwLqK_rV98_IJtv_VS8KCqf7GYoxDHpWMgRkPTzV0EODBzTwLZg34q-umZ_x1sfR3wLSxLogvqf7kzUkrSnSUAKWVIHeakFBp1w9EcGD_1e6n0prhKee51esq0nCFz7pQFBMQM1oY/s320/IMG_4901.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The looted panzers are knocked out in a very lucky round of shooting by panzerschrecks</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghycJHdJi-I-xm0Git9pFdBNbROdPimpXKaZtiM9UhqdleJn3ZgBBXhMx0arGk9IBaczl37SXXrRz7xrSoVixd0b8xR0vPXt00W53FnKyjUlPOvyk8H0zl9kLuFkWudV8RsYF61Hu6oG0/s1600/IMG_4900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghycJHdJi-I-xm0Git9pFdBNbROdPimpXKaZtiM9UhqdleJn3ZgBBXhMx0arGk9IBaczl37SXXrRz7xrSoVixd0b8xR0vPXt00W53FnKyjUlPOvyk8H0zl9kLuFkWudV8RsYF61Hu6oG0/s320/IMG_4900.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7ZhINZ7PQTvPfJsLXVmJ7YxFbjSanlPJSVVvO8zjrumyxTCOG_nR-ZjVAa6qYUk_w_JX6hxsb49mK4yP6pWcYshPp-93tyejJhLuh20n1dcGbKGiQqQeaI7JOh7dozntoLAZWpms4tA/s1600/IMG_4902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7ZhINZ7PQTvPfJsLXVmJ7YxFbjSanlPJSVVvO8zjrumyxTCOG_nR-ZjVAa6qYUk_w_JX6hxsb49mK4yP6pWcYshPp-93tyejJhLuh20n1dcGbKGiQqQeaI7JOh7dozntoLAZWpms4tA/s320/IMG_4902.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">German AT-assets engage the KV-85's. The advance gets bogged down.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnEeHC8eKtcvOhckjyFUXmpzZCExecV8PaqT4Zo_s2mLLCK-U0gjEc_g3AXAvH4k_vmpSc8Yhpxo3md9aJdLQaGzF8nJwkBHWBcA03ShNpvb3Tos2XZdImqWuO3SdJPqPAhXlAzZ3hHs/s1600/IMG_4903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnEeHC8eKtcvOhckjyFUXmpzZCExecV8PaqT4Zo_s2mLLCK-U0gjEc_g3AXAvH4k_vmpSc8Yhpxo3md9aJdLQaGzF8nJwkBHWBcA03ShNpvb3Tos2XZdImqWuO3SdJPqPAhXlAzZ3hHs/s320/IMG_4903.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Russians give more ground</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82NepfLXOEjEDPCxPigrVrYRZgyk8haNoq5rXeF6Z0TjPWIAW3Epuj_8IV2IfagDBkXBS9vOW3EcxSNAU6YOz5LPqMorl44Ya32BtG-D4rjllTEFn-5KyxueOSsTImaPmIQcGESBL8dY/s1600/IMG_4904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82NepfLXOEjEDPCxPigrVrYRZgyk8haNoq5rXeF6Z0TjPWIAW3Epuj_8IV2IfagDBkXBS9vOW3EcxSNAU6YOz5LPqMorl44Ya32BtG-D4rjllTEFn-5KyxueOSsTImaPmIQcGESBL8dY/s320/IMG_4904.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outflanking Russian tanks push the Germans back and advance towards the objective...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgifD7pBZxc5N460qkL7N9fuYnSTc9R-mxHDytQcf7rB6cRHPWa9J3_tCM4JwMl3k2uil4wbuG0xyx_Ve572jTEeGAEhUv3z7Ic54D5OWc9c9gvoOT_qer6J5YrIAqs9KDByK-4tz1Cp1M/s1600/IMG_4905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgifD7pBZxc5N460qkL7N9fuYnSTc9R-mxHDytQcf7rB6cRHPWa9J3_tCM4JwMl3k2uil4wbuG0xyx_Ve572jTEeGAEhUv3z7Ic54D5OWc9c9gvoOT_qer6J5YrIAqs9KDByK-4tz1Cp1M/s320/IMG_4905.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... but it's too late as the Germans push the remaining Russians from the objective</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h4>
Game 3: Encounter</h4>
The third game looked equally desperate from the start. I would be playing against a German tank company fielding heavy Jagdpanther tank destroyers, some FlaK-88's, a few platoons of infantry and the greatly feared tank ace Otto Carius in a Jagdtiger. The table had very little in the way of cover and I couldn't hurt the enemy tanks from the front, whilst they could easily destroy me from any range. If my list were "scissors", my opponent was "rock". The table and scenario (mobile battle) didn't help, although I can only blame myself as I had chosen the scenarios, made the terrain for this board and set up the table. :P<br />
<br />
I considered my options. I could hide my force behind some terrain in my deployment zone and hope for the enemy to attack me or go for the offensive myself. Option 1 seemed to promise only a slow, gruelling loss whilst option 2 seemed like more fun. To this end, I placed my KV-85s on my extreme right flank whilst my infantry and looted tanks held the centre. The German infantry faced my centre and left, the 88's dominated my left flank and the "large cats" were directly against my tanks on my centre and right.<br />
<br />
The German's opened the game by knocking out one of my "heavy" KV-85's at exreme range (beyond the range of my guns). I proceeded to advance on the enemy, taking shelter with my KV-85's behind a large hill and trying to advance down the centre with my captured tanks hugging all the terrain they could find. I was hoping to enfilade the German tanks by attacking from two directions. This hope was quickly dashed as Carius moved forward and destroyed both of my captured tanks.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8LXYV5Zj1h_jombAL4AO0Ql-C0OO0wg67B_1VBIYH8x24AZlsqXupnqCDfhg0eEbHmZ2wx74jWqGvSW1WRECXlFuTMVuZAi94e7f7gbSirz0es4JNNgIASh8vpjUlODVD22KIfCzcWM/s1600/IMG_4906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8LXYV5Zj1h_jombAL4AO0Ql-C0OO0wg67B_1VBIYH8x24AZlsqXupnqCDfhg0eEbHmZ2wx74jWqGvSW1WRECXlFuTMVuZAi94e7f7gbSirz0es4JNNgIASh8vpjUlODVD22KIfCzcWM/s320/IMG_4906.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deployment - Russians to the right (infantry in the centre, KV-85's behind the hill in the distance)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUDza0kiauBaYfdGYe8AqaBQY2qtMYYt5xXoX6pD7GOEqVzzNnFcJzug31iv3XZhO8aZasg8HkyWwlLQgFHDOw8dqqNSGHvQwpIsGWkCnXGH4FyEB5pm856OHcM78tCJj9vdC5aXYs54/s1600/IMG_4909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUDza0kiauBaYfdGYe8AqaBQY2qtMYYt5xXoX6pD7GOEqVzzNnFcJzug31iv3XZhO8aZasg8HkyWwlLQgFHDOw8dqqNSGHvQwpIsGWkCnXGH4FyEB5pm856OHcM78tCJj9vdC5aXYs54/s320/IMG_4909.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fearsome German "big cats" - Jagdpanther and Otto Carius in a Jagdtiger</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_4ETERNWqZw41oLmmWGvobPA59FbfizT1b-Z1x23xfAXUGMEPniV_MHAhcsV1LlFic75h-fNwwHWpR97PyrcudPx35-F7i5V2qpD9_wbLx6_2H5cscGHEz0HUTBz_ns04ULGx3Dy_GM/s1600/IMG_4910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_4ETERNWqZw41oLmmWGvobPA59FbfizT1b-Z1x23xfAXUGMEPniV_MHAhcsV1LlFic75h-fNwwHWpR97PyrcudPx35-F7i5V2qpD9_wbLx6_2H5cscGHEz0HUTBz_ns04ULGx3Dy_GM/s320/IMG_4910.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looted panzers and Russian infantry advance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghl2tWF9A_n6sEtRtRJqASI15IGzrAwHshyphenhyphenLtp3xX39INBIxjEth58irVqGM2IzcXPQoTFuusZJ-4T2UUdsz_Hw-4palnEfDfNmmZiwX6HWAScpYi5GwXzs8QlnZkvZbzxLqd4FfpTQOc/s1600/IMG_4912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghl2tWF9A_n6sEtRtRJqASI15IGzrAwHshyphenhyphenLtp3xX39INBIxjEth58irVqGM2IzcXPQoTFuusZJ-4T2UUdsz_Hw-4palnEfDfNmmZiwX6HWAScpYi5GwXzs8QlnZkvZbzxLqd4FfpTQOc/s320/IMG_4912.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carius moves forward confidently...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpwXuY4okWvvmQreUNjmckPf2SnQnpAHDnoLb-HlEE_wPXtEu7lxabUFjiq5kGBIbYZq3cWXMnX_JVlwmqAgazR1ZsOjPpg_KAGbfD-Ge5gQXtvC7GHHdyul7bAH2y8jw_8b9l0Usyh8/s1600/IMG_4914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpwXuY4okWvvmQreUNjmckPf2SnQnpAHDnoLb-HlEE_wPXtEu7lxabUFjiq5kGBIbYZq3cWXMnX_JVlwmqAgazR1ZsOjPpg_KAGbfD-Ge5gQXtvC7GHHdyul7bAH2y8jw_8b9l0Usyh8/s320/IMG_4914.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and the looted panzers are no more</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHW9FiA-UFcxDUV_y_0KbCM2zcMpVlx7mWcE9nPIIz_NOVVxEaB_z-X8RAekFQbTED0GEwsRElxQVYOJT1od1ZodOBsBpgQczuxacplS_PVb-GcUGrLC8YsQmjoXtPm0ZoEq7nSScCnvY/s1600/IMG_4913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHW9FiA-UFcxDUV_y_0KbCM2zcMpVlx7mWcE9nPIIz_NOVVxEaB_z-X8RAekFQbTED0GEwsRElxQVYOJT1od1ZodOBsBpgQczuxacplS_PVb-GcUGrLC8YsQmjoXtPm0ZoEq7nSScCnvY/s320/IMG_4913.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the KV-85s is knocked out at extreme range. The rest hunker down behind the hill waiting for reinforcements.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My T-34/85s arrived from the reserve and quickly sped down my right flank to a hull-down position behind a small wood. In tandem with my KV-85's, relocated to my centre, I moved forward and hoped to "swarm" the Germans. The plan failed miserably, as the Germans received their reinforcements in a timely manner and proceeded to knock out both tank squads before I had managed to fire a single shot at the German tanks' flanks.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My only consolation was that one of the German infantry units had plucked up the courage to launch a counter-assault onto my central objective. The Germans easily despatched my infantry, but then came under fire from my Razvedki and SU-122's, arriving from reserve. I managed to knock out the impudent German infantry but little more could be achieved. A 5-2 loss.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9oE9t06jko_TABtS_4LrpUMctrZb3Kgh-88jXBZncjVDaagbifDomRaeh1iMgzkXW_PaayeEmq6XYQwS52wjxYZfeqboCI_8gn6KtvCHprOFLyk069_VI91Ha22jndZu9FLUAGzKqiCA/s1600/IMG_4915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9oE9t06jko_TABtS_4LrpUMctrZb3Kgh-88jXBZncjVDaagbifDomRaeh1iMgzkXW_PaayeEmq6XYQwS52wjxYZfeqboCI_8gn6KtvCHprOFLyk069_VI91Ha22jndZu9FLUAGzKqiCA/s320/IMG_4915.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">T-34/85s move flat out to take shelter behind the small wood on the German left. KV-85s get into position to advance up the centre.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYIBRLF68SCjhUSJy2LIZMZV4RdHqrQPt_i_ZcROh50W0QCMeUFJQ9j55Qz6TEcejkZaoe9Vyl3E0Om07NLeqNJtRdZR4PY5y5CjedWgxkcwY9kG_AeNTfcLNPWIv4kCSOUF6_P19kUE/s1600/IMG_4916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYIBRLF68SCjhUSJy2LIZMZV4RdHqrQPt_i_ZcROh50W0QCMeUFJQ9j55Qz6TEcejkZaoe9Vyl3E0Om07NLeqNJtRdZR4PY5y5CjedWgxkcwY9kG_AeNTfcLNPWIv4kCSOUF6_P19kUE/s320/IMG_4916.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87Kcw5c4YJSk9Ti5mg2KXhdaQ4QfKE1dUSi5TsQkNFFPldZNiidaC2uV_C_VJGhbj-irqmzdbG1Ag3ijOtmeir1zN9MonoAxQCv5s3ETh4F2vru5GSi99mRNakLUpnkQlM4T0ndv_JJQ/s1600/IMG_4917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87Kcw5c4YJSk9Ti5mg2KXhdaQ4QfKE1dUSi5TsQkNFFPldZNiidaC2uV_C_VJGhbj-irqmzdbG1Ag3ijOtmeir1zN9MonoAxQCv5s3ETh4F2vru5GSi99mRNakLUpnkQlM4T0ndv_JJQ/s320/IMG_4917.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbenAKQZcwDrCp4R4OucjgS9sSLtNhykGhx1h_Beu8-aMs2o9_NcX0kGWHAYRV5bC3uI-rfNTDaprnMpTRGl5j3Rrqm_udrEQ0EVhWaGNeOKuC9PzOJadpxv5F5VdQgdWhtPfJkw_RgM/s1600/IMG_4918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbenAKQZcwDrCp4R4OucjgS9sSLtNhykGhx1h_Beu8-aMs2o9_NcX0kGWHAYRV5bC3uI-rfNTDaprnMpTRGl5j3Rrqm_udrEQ0EVhWaGNeOKuC9PzOJadpxv5F5VdQgdWhtPfJkw_RgM/s320/IMG_4918.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">German infantry launches a mounted assault which, together with MG fire, annihilates the large Soviet infantry unit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMtd72WX9eOvHUn2kHznwQh_0zhE2v9WXQJ0ggU6cQveyjHUZ8b7KtxkG39-XCwJ2O4Sf-0ls-y3wzY5gunfSgpiGhwAet4zoJ76bLV_PlVuUBIqwf7oIosSJ-Fg8b7tTl0P_6krUdF1w/s1600/IMG_4922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMtd72WX9eOvHUn2kHznwQh_0zhE2v9WXQJ0ggU6cQveyjHUZ8b7KtxkG39-XCwJ2O4Sf-0ls-y3wzY5gunfSgpiGhwAet4zoJ76bLV_PlVuUBIqwf7oIosSJ-Fg8b7tTl0P_6krUdF1w/s320/IMG_4922.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The T-34/85s are knocked out effortlessly</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDolj6odr5QXOZNLygEvyQrMkDjJarxj0Do_kfE3cdx7CpoSrF73FLzwbrVdmjaCIF6sWOo_kSrzxvN3Z2yZjqkkNZVXeWg1Dvzm3HaLccu7K1ljBTFQ_WZfZ_0e3C2kLJp4cim4cHtSA/s1600/IMG_4919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDolj6odr5QXOZNLygEvyQrMkDjJarxj0Do_kfE3cdx7CpoSrF73FLzwbrVdmjaCIF6sWOo_kSrzxvN3Z2yZjqkkNZVXeWg1Dvzm3HaLccu7K1ljBTFQ_WZfZ_0e3C2kLJp4cim4cHtSA/s320/IMG_4919.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With the T-34/85s knocked out, the Soviet 2iC launches a desperate assault (which fails miserably)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSg1efCmlotZs_TrqfuyMPRETiOnbvqWHm8OmRo9CiGcXkWNAmrvWO2ua_wgYrnLuooeMhpAZ2cLL3XSqG4etUJSOf_3fe0pHIqzxrREZxKIMz9sXAAkX6UnewuGdM5gOEiAprhLSSoQ/s1600/IMG_4920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSg1efCmlotZs_TrqfuyMPRETiOnbvqWHm8OmRo9CiGcXkWNAmrvWO2ua_wgYrnLuooeMhpAZ2cLL3XSqG4etUJSOf_3fe0pHIqzxrREZxKIMz9sXAAkX6UnewuGdM5gOEiAprhLSSoQ/s320/IMG_4920.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SU-122s annihilate the German infantry that moved up on the objective (before being knocked out in turn by Jagdpanthers)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje77ZEIBAV0R_glLJOJKNTHFS0oftvroRq_H5NJ6CbD_L-tWYhiyXrHskqozZvTiDm6PZIMuE3gWHELu8EzZ8nwX3laQJ9YlNc7kU4mowyf3XiyFi3ayePDugv_1Yh18XX2Fzb4BDtB7s/s1600/IMG_4921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje77ZEIBAV0R_glLJOJKNTHFS0oftvroRq_H5NJ6CbD_L-tWYhiyXrHskqozZvTiDm6PZIMuE3gWHELu8EzZ8nwX3laQJ9YlNc7kU4mowyf3XiyFi3ayePDugv_1Yh18XX2Fzb4BDtB7s/s320/IMG_4921.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Radzevski race to the rescue</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7tX8eC1lbsbW29_W6WaA1zpd2iawrAVYD1AHcHUB-MbSNisfr3ZvGaodZv_ym6Mc_cFhfz3NVfAPWpD0B2_xyMw0UcN19ks8FsLtM8r_kUGdg-uSvgdiIr1-FmI2mgNpATb0HVT1lbw/s1600/IMG_4924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7tX8eC1lbsbW29_W6WaA1zpd2iawrAVYD1AHcHUB-MbSNisfr3ZvGaodZv_ym6Mc_cFhfz3NVfAPWpD0B2_xyMw0UcN19ks8FsLtM8r_kUGdg-uSvgdiIr1-FmI2mgNpATb0HVT1lbw/s320/IMG_4924.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the centre, the KV-85s are knocked out easily. The Radzevski attempt a desperate assault but are killed to the last by German MG fire.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h4>
Game 4: Surrounded</h4>
The first game of Sunday was against an all-armoured US tank company led by General Patton himself. I would be defending yet again against the "always attack" Americans. Winter rules were in play yet again and my opponent elected to attack at dusk (darkness falling on turn 3 or later). I placed my infantry entrenched on both objectives. The KV-85's were in immediate ambush, whilst the rest of my tanks adopted a "hedgehog" defence covering most likely avenues of approach and with some teams pushed forward to block enemy "reconnaissance" and "spearhead" moves. The Americans amassed almost their entire force in one corner facing the more exposed of the two objectives. After this, I deployed my KV-85's around the exposed objective, where their heavy armour would be put to the test.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcWo6VnZbFrzdWDbpN-bA2IIg9n3QVXAk693egxUfUTVTrfxERl7LEuhWBd7fPJD9d-r4c_rfuvs9ltIs9oU_-9Yq-3rhAKkVU4fXPfe3JZl1icbdgGGYZFdXbZZwNCZWMJxss4A-_zU/s1600/IMG_4925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcWo6VnZbFrzdWDbpN-bA2IIg9n3QVXAk693egxUfUTVTrfxERl7LEuhWBd7fPJD9d-r4c_rfuvs9ltIs9oU_-9Yq-3rhAKkVU4fXPfe3JZl1icbdgGGYZFdXbZZwNCZWMJxss4A-_zU/s320/IMG_4925.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Familiar defensive positions - this time it's the US 7th armoured assaulting (from the corner on the right)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YsNkF4gfnrYSZ-104QPJZKL3ZSBICMP_GjZnN1fQr542nWJfJBW5VLceTZzE5Kdgfj3eno-6egEPQ0wi6vphGEACqZuf8iQEvD9lC_iAY6VcuOmcSYxyQhdvNN9bF8d949tK_FQVJ2Q/s1600/IMG_4926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YsNkF4gfnrYSZ-104QPJZKL3ZSBICMP_GjZnN1fQr542nWJfJBW5VLceTZzE5Kdgfj3eno-6egEPQ0wi6vphGEACqZuf8iQEvD9lC_iAY6VcuOmcSYxyQhdvNN9bF8d949tK_FQVJ2Q/s320/IMG_4926.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Radzevski and KV-85s take up positions around the more exposed objective</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1s3Qm4OyxtU5DFYh1PeKsWu1jVwcutuVlwTWdNZUOLBuPmBgIcXXQNVqk61Lhf1etD-CfnzMZXte-RBk55JJs9qiVQe_F0M5_BACG5caoP62-bgBNuQlHa_nX1bc5zX0VFuVGpW0_0o/s1600/IMG_4927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1s3Qm4OyxtU5DFYh1PeKsWu1jVwcutuVlwTWdNZUOLBuPmBgIcXXQNVqk61Lhf1etD-CfnzMZXte-RBk55JJs9qiVQe_F0M5_BACG5caoP62-bgBNuQlHa_nX1bc5zX0VFuVGpW0_0o/s320/IMG_4927.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">T-34/85s lurking</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH04ezHUPiC2ZPyJ-NQzIwguRff-EibjcrOp9EFNN4zzv345wH3EhG4aeWdyWf94LJxvJ0EOtuCfeINvVZ9V-ko8ISgFdJ5TNjvuh4aJjnlWg6EPrTLPzq4brpYLgV3mo0nm0O43KAJOQ/s1600/IMG_4928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH04ezHUPiC2ZPyJ-NQzIwguRff-EibjcrOp9EFNN4zzv345wH3EhG4aeWdyWf94LJxvJ0EOtuCfeINvVZ9V-ko8ISgFdJ5TNjvuh4aJjnlWg6EPrTLPzq4brpYLgV3mo0nm0O43KAJOQ/s320/IMG_4928.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "other" objective</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY56lFxCSo9TwK6oRJvy3fAj9JtMg5JDxmzmCUIJOdMq8oQMlmxojugyL1-trrdeTHT-_QFXO3XWT7bYBQRVnY4hqmFLtXDL6fD8Poq3zZQMpalZPdAiR0VBSYb_gudRtOqk1gcD6ZSNU/s1600/IMG_4929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY56lFxCSo9TwK6oRJvy3fAj9JtMg5JDxmzmCUIJOdMq8oQMlmxojugyL1-trrdeTHT-_QFXO3XWT7bYBQRVnY4hqmFLtXDL6fD8Poq3zZQMpalZPdAiR0VBSYb_gudRtOqk1gcD6ZSNU/s320/IMG_4929.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You have to admire the subtlety of the US tactics...</td></tr>
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The Americans started the game by advancing very cautiously. Virtually my entire line was covered by a smoke bombardment, but otherwise the Americans achieved little. I redeployed my scattered forces to the enemy's point of attack. The KV-85's under the smoke bombardment advanced a little so that they could fire and the two looted panzers, which had been pushed quite forward on my "left" flank, began outflanking the Americans.<br />
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In the initial exchange of fire, the Soviets came out on top with two American tanks set blazing with some lucky shooting from the outflanking panzers. The exchange of fire continued over the following few turns and losses began to mount on both sides. Slowly the Americans started to gain the upper hand.<br />
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The Russian infantry, not content to sit idly by, had got up from their foxholes and began to advance upon the American tanks (who were kept busy by the fury of the fire fight with the Soviet tanks). The infantry launched a brave assault, headed by a trusty flamethrower team, on a small cluster of enemy tanks. Several rounds of brutal close-range fighting followed but in the end, without anti-tank equipment and with the morale of the Americans holding, the assault failed. I failed a couple of (fearless) platoon morale tests and with that, I had lost. 6-1 for the Americans (who had lost a large number of tanks but no complete platoons).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_X99O9vt-Vpk37kEXJRqo5CguYCeCK84aiFa9G3ZHnl8xNk58vlDYAuU73TlaCn2KbP7LFee0ww_z00uMPcD-nSrSEUDIY21Cj5XoPz1ItktbKGDnNMSwrpkaiPEy8ywSrB5F_WEkfVg/s1600/IMG_4931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_X99O9vt-Vpk37kEXJRqo5CguYCeCK84aiFa9G3ZHnl8xNk58vlDYAuU73TlaCn2KbP7LFee0ww_z00uMPcD-nSrSEUDIY21Cj5XoPz1ItktbKGDnNMSwrpkaiPEy8ywSrB5F_WEkfVg/s320/IMG_4931.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Russian positions are covered by a smoke screen</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_iTUNv2mWFOLDM14PwSfAmoSVI2txuBkbz7cCRbV9nIt1-inw5KKDjRN6xPne_Z9VOEcB_achdtX2GcMvmp1cKXyHopOLqRck5lKVZaYhmv6Jcydzt7iOqKtTEeTN-qe7Rf-kQokkJY/s1600/IMG_4932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_iTUNv2mWFOLDM14PwSfAmoSVI2txuBkbz7cCRbV9nIt1-inw5KKDjRN6xPne_Z9VOEcB_achdtX2GcMvmp1cKXyHopOLqRck5lKVZaYhmv6Jcydzt7iOqKtTEeTN-qe7Rf-kQokkJY/s320/IMG_4932.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looted panzers outflank the Americans...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSfrpsaTcnZQ1VR7NrMJ1W-0K9bGFgnZoOy8a4ZA38tR0OvuUirMID8fPm768bNHVVo-vUhvStyoeCinXib1FbkRtLG6hpCavtVlzmgG5QhevSBDSNn8u1ix-QRXihGEXmntrj0F_AUM/s1600/IMG_4930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSfrpsaTcnZQ1VR7NrMJ1W-0K9bGFgnZoOy8a4ZA38tR0OvuUirMID8fPm768bNHVVo-vUhvStyoeCinXib1FbkRtLG6hpCavtVlzmgG5QhevSBDSNn8u1ix-QRXihGEXmntrj0F_AUM/s320/IMG_4930.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and knock out the 2iC Jumbo and another Sherman</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbqSVlPVZF-Ty-mbHPzGtMeQbeCi-odwtNiZeqPrtz1g14tQNDX7vg6_dgLkL1OaVAdg-oOFYjvQp9U6oVc0nAxS4gachNcDJefIsHKFHXEXof52hC2_ofZWqfK4lgHH7FMqigBGCdJY/s1600/IMG_4934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbqSVlPVZF-Ty-mbHPzGtMeQbeCi-odwtNiZeqPrtz1g14tQNDX7vg6_dgLkL1OaVAdg-oOFYjvQp9U6oVc0nAxS4gachNcDJefIsHKFHXEXof52hC2_ofZWqfK4lgHH7FMqigBGCdJY/s320/IMG_4934.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Russian tanks start taking hits and eventually the remaining T-34/85s leg it</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Jdt1EbWRPUhD89HQ3s6Jq7Unvut58luSVYq9UewVjCf0go9DaS4WjsViS-K2j9tS79mcBe11g7U2kytCiH0vZ91Ax0_vDaMFCAHG6hhSqz-2sRRVJa-kGA4uIvg8CZvGHDt38vraqJU/s1600/IMG_4935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Jdt1EbWRPUhD89HQ3s6Jq7Unvut58luSVYq9UewVjCf0go9DaS4WjsViS-K2j9tS79mcBe11g7U2kytCiH0vZ91Ax0_vDaMFCAHG6hhSqz-2sRRVJa-kGA4uIvg8CZvGHDt38vraqJU/s320/IMG_4935.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Americans take their share of pounding also... but there are too many of the mass-produced Capitalists tanks! </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoGX_8JSLJwrbPxj-pGfiRRWP8h848c60gP-7w7gsW9ESztf8npK1lH0Qvxev9IcZ6GrdzGAiP67dGU7RgJVUALNkp52ZuWd0ys8e5uhYI_N890RFOabT4TrwLpdWy5rj-TRL53RcDrw/s1600/IMG_4936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoGX_8JSLJwrbPxj-pGfiRRWP8h848c60gP-7w7gsW9ESztf8npK1lH0Qvxev9IcZ6GrdzGAiP67dGU7RgJVUALNkp52ZuWd0ys8e5uhYI_N890RFOabT4TrwLpdWy5rj-TRL53RcDrw/s320/IMG_4936.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SU-122s open up a volley fire - knocking out one Sherman</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQTbBRYoQOWoppCRUOjIs4SeLtgi7Njx8XPibmwBRllWYkcb1m652DfJLKPF7YokfzQg1xpgLbfFTQcBGivJP2n1nwBAMBu6d_nimUY14jLuCs7feHPZL704llMtOYu0PJK3YRfiX8eo/s1600/IMG_4937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQTbBRYoQOWoppCRUOjIs4SeLtgi7Njx8XPibmwBRllWYkcb1m652DfJLKPF7YokfzQg1xpgLbfFTQcBGivJP2n1nwBAMBu6d_nimUY14jLuCs7feHPZL704llMtOYu0PJK3YRfiX8eo/s320/IMG_4937.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With the Soviets bound to lose the tank duel, their infantry advances upon the foe</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsy8e7gaQ093Lu8yy9Xrv2FN_fds4Zj4O8WC4zPMBEXm6vVS-pwY066Eq7lLLXhHiBBEsWcpcP1S0uLi6hVaxSvBYwRq_N8X8Xg50bwTOaoOsAPqlrkYGnUtxS16BY9-F6s1uThZc6Do/s1600/IMG_4933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsy8e7gaQ093Lu8yy9Xrv2FN_fds4Zj4O8WC4zPMBEXm6vVS-pwY066Eq7lLLXhHiBBEsWcpcP1S0uLi6hVaxSvBYwRq_N8X8Xg50bwTOaoOsAPqlrkYGnUtxS16BY9-F6s1uThZc6Do/s320/IMG_4933.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnE7ZloYDKkK6PHypBE74-fRXtCLwBVVeCGTs6n_-iEdC0BbD4iBAatjv2zutJu4GNZkIX0LaQgRJlOiFuiH0mi-_0w4o1g8Sf6W0qGEIqzjhX5pdScnan50Zgqspld9tDJ1ONH6KPKlU/s1600/IMG_4938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnE7ZloYDKkK6PHypBE74-fRXtCLwBVVeCGTs6n_-iEdC0BbD4iBAatjv2zutJu4GNZkIX0LaQgRJlOiFuiH0mi-_0w4o1g8Sf6W0qGEIqzjhX5pdScnan50Zgqspld9tDJ1ONH6KPKlU/s320/IMG_4938.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Radzevski's flamethrowers bails out one Sherman and paves the way for the upcoming assault...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DuvbUVdZw95rEAFBPyYqnjW_XKsRZqOGzwLU2Z3P-R1RJtGBvJLihaobJzab8Sdo-krEiKlCvS2uVZArlvTkvHghwoMo0FjPzf1y6R-wwEg1n-Gw5BHibim5NcpEM3HoF5RFceBvvNQ/s1600/IMG_4939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DuvbUVdZw95rEAFBPyYqnjW_XKsRZqOGzwLU2Z3P-R1RJtGBvJLihaobJzab8Sdo-krEiKlCvS2uVZArlvTkvHghwoMo0FjPzf1y6R-wwEg1n-Gw5BHibim5NcpEM3HoF5RFceBvvNQ/s320/IMG_4939.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... which eventually fails, as the Russians run out of men</td></tr>
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<h4>
Game 5: Breakthrough</h4>
The final game pitted my Soviets against a Finnish Sturmi (StuG) company supported by a platoon of jägers, two BA-10 armoured cars, a battery of heavy artillery and air support from Detachment Kuhlmey. I was quite happy to be attacking. Despite fielding an Always Attacks list, I had ended up defending in 3/4 of the previous games as it seemed that everyone else had Always Attacks lists also (and the one mission where I wasn't attacking was Encounter, which was far from ideal for my army). Finally I got to play in my army's intended role! As you can see from the photos, I exchanged my "winter infantry" for duplicate "summer infantry" I had brought along to the tournament just in case I would need to play on a summer table. Unfortunately I didn't have duplicates of all the tanks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQV4M2s0Yp7rwU9bY1B53VScaxnOfFfTlW_uX4RoJ-YfxhD8qEx2vPYf7a-j0J7WqzAkSNP_PPXFirY8W7L8SO8Qh3Nco-hg2q-ul6KCbx9Sbw7032-t5hp42iKJeH6d9wpXBYhH4FW6E/s1600/IMG_4940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQV4M2s0Yp7rwU9bY1B53VScaxnOfFfTlW_uX4RoJ-YfxhD8qEx2vPYf7a-j0J7WqzAkSNP_PPXFirY8W7L8SO8Qh3Nco-hg2q-ul6KCbx9Sbw7032-t5hp42iKJeH6d9wpXBYhH4FW6E/s320/IMG_4940.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting positions. Russians in the top-left corner, Finns in the top-right. Objectives bottom-right.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6Hj6T0kZ270ALBOxUYSaqpQIGuhJatJw_3II-qW-JZA8nNMYSbfVFl1m_xS_P6inC4mzLA9eCQRnqnMXDsHZyH8pEWmJbZ-bhpG8scHkTE69fvNO2BWfRUPsp00bvBvJcHdYlp-djUk/s1600/IMG_4941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6Hj6T0kZ270ALBOxUYSaqpQIGuhJatJw_3II-qW-JZA8nNMYSbfVFl1m_xS_P6inC4mzLA9eCQRnqnMXDsHZyH8pEWmJbZ-bhpG8scHkTE69fvNO2BWfRUPsp00bvBvJcHdYlp-djUk/s320/IMG_4941.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdtkVv6pTSQj2JAjBmDTWXln4j3qy1OL_kG4W83DJtikNbB8KWiTlRFzW2bWItAVJxYmlQ7y9-jarWDIS6DFZ-sHAlIKhPt4CXfN6qTAmG6TBLF0HuZwzaNnTUrYt3ekOgd1s5hk-gPo/s1600/IMG_4942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdtkVv6pTSQj2JAjBmDTWXln4j3qy1OL_kG4W83DJtikNbB8KWiTlRFzW2bWItAVJxYmlQ7y9-jarWDIS6DFZ-sHAlIKhPt4CXfN6qTAmG6TBLF0HuZwzaNnTUrYt3ekOgd1s5hk-gPo/s320/IMG_4942.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finnish jägers make a reconnaissance move towards the objectives</td></tr>
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The game started with my tightly packed infantry and looted panzers making a pre-game 16" infiltration towards the objective. This was followed by my first turn, during which I consolidated my position on the objective by getting the infantry into the buildings controlling the objective and moving the looted panzers forward to prevent the enemy from coming within striking distance. My T-34/85s moved "double time" to secure my right flank from the expected arrival of enemy Sturmis. The KV-85's advanced confidently and opened fire on the few Sturmis lurking in the distance.</div>
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The Finns moved their jägers into the large forest next to the objectives and dug in. The few Sturmis on-board moved forward very cautiously and, supported by the Finnish artillery and Stukas, opened fire on my tanks. In the exchange of fire, one T-34/85 and one Sturmi were knocked out.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWiTyyJKXWQaSrOhk-WDbx42VKIvZLHwXdOEP46mUchGQU8J9w7Er9vpY0zR51ZXBbvQa37dlM3z7D4ztlJRqMcGW76mnvGf_z6uhec80wLmMBxiHC3aNiB9Bu34ns7NLQQYUbyKMRYtA/s1600/IMG_4943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWiTyyJKXWQaSrOhk-WDbx42VKIvZLHwXdOEP46mUchGQU8J9w7Er9vpY0zR51ZXBbvQa37dlM3z7D4ztlJRqMcGW76mnvGf_z6uhec80wLmMBxiHC3aNiB9Bu34ns7NLQQYUbyKMRYtA/s320/IMG_4943.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Russian tanks and infantry infiltrate onto the objectives...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfXl9iR2q-pwgincJjV0e5KFzTrUTNg21ZET_6r2bQpSlFynAsTRjr9NvWhtmTnCY76VusanQLyquYlWPxUF15YjHeS93YopO1AWzIuFJS3YM7fDzbiI6utZGvUfOUWn_BJR66E4-fyk/s1600/IMG_4944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfXl9iR2q-pwgincJjV0e5KFzTrUTNg21ZET_6r2bQpSlFynAsTRjr9NvWhtmTnCY76VusanQLyquYlWPxUF15YjHeS93YopO1AWzIuFJS3YM7fDzbiI6utZGvUfOUWn_BJR66E4-fyk/s320/IMG_4944.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and consolidate their hold of the objective by the end of turn 1</td></tr>
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The Finnish reserves entered the game quite quickly, with a platoon of Sturmis arriving on both my left and right flanks. The Sturmis moved forward in an attempt to enfilade my KV-85s. My tanks were well-placed to counter this threat, with my T-34/85s tackling one platoon head-on whilst the KV-85s began duelling with two platoons of Sturmis moving up on both their flanks. In the end, the Soviets prevailed and 7 Sturmis were either knocked out or routed.</div>
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While this firefight was raging, my infantry advanced on the jägers and a few Sturmis sheltering behind the large forest guarding the objectives. My Radzevski had used the road to speed into good positions to launch an assault on the enemy. This was perhaps unnecessary given that I already had a strong hold on one of the objectives, but my blood was up and I had the enemy on the run! </div>
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The jägers took a beating and gave ground, but regrouped the survivors just outside of the forest. Supported by the few remaining Sturmis (including the company commander), the jägers launched a counter-attack. A few more Sturmis were knocked out and the Radzevski platoon was routed. However, the assault was too little and too late to wrest Soviet control of one of the objectives. The game ended on turn 6 with a 5-2 victory for the Soviets.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">T-34/85s are ready to meet the Sturmis arriving from reserve on the Russian right, eventually winning the firefight and knocking the assault guns out.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Situation heats up. KV-85s are fighting Sturmis on all sides whilst the Soviet infantry advances.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Facing in all directions, the KV-85s manage to knock out the outflanking Sturmis</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final assault</td></tr>
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The Results</h4>
My meagre efforts were sufficient to land me at 11th place. The top four positions in the tournament were extremely close and included the same top 3 (pretty much in the same order) as last year. As usual, Jussi's Russian horde reigned supreme and won the Winter War. Besides lavish prizes (and bragging rights) for the top three, we awarded a prize for best painted army and the most sportive general. This last prize, perhaps the most coveted of all, was an autographed copy of Osprey's brand new "Finland at War: The Winter War 1939-1940" (one of the authors also participated in the tournament).<br />
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I am very happy with the weekend's gaming. For the father of two toddler-aged kids, playing a two-day tournament is a rare luxury. The games were awesome fun and really sparked the heat to play more Flames of War games and paint new armies (based on my recent mail orders I seem to have 3 new armies in the making... oh my :P). This enthusiasm seems to have caught on, with a number of gamers ecstatic about new Flames of War projects.<br />
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The tournament was a bit of a hassle to organize, with time spent in making new terrain, purchasing equipment, setting things up and planning. However, in the end, this was well worth the effort. Same time next year!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left to right: 11th place, 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place, most sportive general</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04236685600691046769noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876364662418562178.post-64247273304977317872016-01-16T13:53:00.000-08:002016-01-16T13:53:31.465-08:00Flames of War: Winter manoeuvres<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After almost a month's hiatus in wargaming (holidays, work, etc.) I finally managed to kick off the new wargaming year with two games of Flames of War. The refresher was more than welcome, since I'm organizing a big FOW tournament in a few weeks despite the fact that I haven't played the game in a while!</div>
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The list I'm running is a 1750 point (Late War) Russian Forward Detachment. It's a motley selection of new and old Russian tanks, looted German equipment and depleted infantry formations. The force is heavily themed to reflect a very mobile, worn down detachment trying to survive in harsh winter conditions. The force consists of a platoon of old model heavy tanks (4 KV-85s), old model assault guns (4 SU-122s), 5 new T-34/85s, two captured German tanks (Tiger and Panzer IV), a mechanized infantry platoon (using German hanomags), a depleted Tank-Rider company and two Katyusha rocket mortar trucks.</div>
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Game 1</h4>
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The first practice game was an "Encounter" scenario against a Finnish infantry company. My opponent had loads of infantry and close-range anti-tank power (panzerfausts, panzerschrecks and pioneers) and artillery but only a few anti-tank guns and no tanks. He deployed most of his infantry on the table and heavy artillery in the centre, while the rest were in reserve. I deployed my tank rider infantry on the right, the KV-85s in the centre and the two captured German tanks on my left.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The battlefield viewed from the Russian left (objectives on or near the four roads) </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captured German tanks in Russian service</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KV-85 heavy tanks - pretty good all-round</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finnish infantry guarding the objective</td></tr>
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I started the game by aggressively advancing on my right. Not waiting for reinforcements, the KV-85s and infantry raced to overwhelm the Finnish defenders. The captured German tanks advanced more cautiously and began trading shots with the Finnish heavy artillery. It was not long before the Finnish artillery had managed to knock out one of my KV-85s and the captured Panzer IV, but in return I took out two of the heavy guns.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KV-85's lead the way on the Russian right</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKlbQVAgqsSeIokg3hLEKPk6UvM5lova8UOcoZx0e8Sggik_Ufop0wYiwdNQVPH5NGEk2D26xogimAGfFFrm8yiL2b324ZPdwvYlcmmjNFCuDzkqR9m9aEcv_oKRM61eCxCm2tlY4k810/s1600/IMG_4768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKlbQVAgqsSeIokg3hLEKPk6UvM5lova8UOcoZx0e8Sggik_Ufop0wYiwdNQVPH5NGEk2D26xogimAGfFFrm8yiL2b324ZPdwvYlcmmjNFCuDzkqR9m9aEcv_oKRM61eCxCm2tlY4k810/s320/IMG_4768.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilk8IDTvJl0qEn5ymhWYuAReuxpBwIDm_i8KmkZ4m-hazzFuDhls3LTZahALUh8AUR1yTbJe7D04r5jhDj21UyD1sw1-90_cVqrmtdTZoP0U4ATUBJ1snbwlZG9J0QIQ_dIQZY1l5Zsu0/s1600/IMG_4771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilk8IDTvJl0qEn5ymhWYuAReuxpBwIDm_i8KmkZ4m-hazzFuDhls3LTZahALUh8AUR1yTbJe7D04r5jhDj21UyD1sw1-90_cVqrmtdTZoP0U4ATUBJ1snbwlZG9J0QIQ_dIQZY1l5Zsu0/s320/IMG_4771.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finnish artillery starts to take losses from the Russian tanks</td></tr>
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On turn 3, I received my SU-122's from reserve. I would have liked them to arrive on my right, where they could have started to soften the Finnish defenders before my assault would hit them. Unfortunately, the "scattered reserves" resulted in them arriving on my left. It was not long before they were making their presence felt by knocking out dug in Finnish infantry at a steady rate.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKdoSwq7CAeIR6CAnZLnJhixE-Lib_M6_t6IiAjfPI9KyQ1xn6e3x50O4BSO4TZ0e8FMemq1F0tzh5rhKHUglspzrs1mnfQ9f4WdGbG6m_AiIT6pc_4twb25_UTxvgVt9Xv97owXKuRSc/s1600/IMG_4772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKdoSwq7CAeIR6CAnZLnJhixE-Lib_M6_t6IiAjfPI9KyQ1xn6e3x50O4BSO4TZ0e8FMemq1F0tzh5rhKHUglspzrs1mnfQ9f4WdGbG6m_AiIT6pc_4twb25_UTxvgVt9Xv97owXKuRSc/s320/IMG_4772.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SU-122's arrive on the Russian left and begin knocking out Finnish infantry</td></tr>
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I was a bit too eager on the right, and advanced my KV-85's and infantry to within striking distance of the dug in Finnish infantry. Faced with punishing machine gun fire and with the enemy reserves not yet on the table, I felt compelled to assault. </div>
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The assault was a disaster! Two of my heavy tanks were destroyed by the Finnish pioneers while the last tank was bailed out and then captured by the Finns. I had forgotten that the Finn's had the "Bitter Enemies" rule against Russians, which made them unlikely to flee from my tanks. The heavy armour and rearward facing machine guns (forcing the enemy to re-roll attacks) made no difference as my opponent rolled quite well. I made the situation even worse by assaulting with my infantry at the same pioneers, who were left in a bad position after the assault. Some unbelievably lucky defensive fire by my opponent (five rolls of 4+ on 7 dice) meant that the assault failed, after which the timely arrival of my opponents reserves managed to annihilate the rest of the tank rider company in a flurry of SMG fire.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjNghWVF94zW8Vm6y9r1TraK5TkloJIMQS3a5jTtk2Oek3CGCDiZgNuKIP41RgenL0tWpFxbh8Kc7UcyiCBHrPrMTlFhogHICDZBxGY0npQiOrU6ziU0sEYYfSCvuf7KE7owqXaIusPw/s1600/IMG_4773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjNghWVF94zW8Vm6y9r1TraK5TkloJIMQS3a5jTtk2Oek3CGCDiZgNuKIP41RgenL0tWpFxbh8Kc7UcyiCBHrPrMTlFhogHICDZBxGY0npQiOrU6ziU0sEYYfSCvuf7KE7owqXaIusPw/s320/IMG_4773.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Russians approach dug-in Finnish pioneers on the Russian right...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWt8PH4-JkZ748s9cHnF7X7t1fcM29pW02SAcHfUjlkDssTfwnLtQXpEEKPfiLlbme-CfhFHDGPYgJ5AUPObUlChlcbargRRfNUP_Oco-ToMr8EIynaPcee3oalXYwTwCbYsr7AnLRpXE/s1600/IMG_4774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWt8PH4-JkZ748s9cHnF7X7t1fcM29pW02SAcHfUjlkDssTfwnLtQXpEEKPfiLlbme-CfhFHDGPYgJ5AUPObUlChlcbargRRfNUP_Oco-ToMr8EIynaPcee3oalXYwTwCbYsr7AnLRpXE/s320/IMG_4774.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... assault ...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tsh7r6w0mWkoVT8oh-qwfo6I600-ldCpIpJyqdOfjNjD57j4mexHHvtnXrE7MzT7k56LEI0PWWoX_wzRZaxgRjdQ7pJIKBtIwM2tr-DlQF46aankwoBkX5B1PdDUM0gjMu0Mp2L_2Ts/s1600/IMG_4775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tsh7r6w0mWkoVT8oh-qwfo6I600-ldCpIpJyqdOfjNjD57j4mexHHvtnXrE7MzT7k56LEI0PWWoX_wzRZaxgRjdQ7pJIKBtIwM2tr-DlQF46aankwoBkX5B1PdDUM0gjMu0Mp2L_2Ts/s320/IMG_4775.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and get killed to the last man or tank</td></tr>
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The final nail in the coffin was the untimely demise of my captured Tiger. After several rounds of of trading shots, the lone 150mm howitzer facing the Tiger finally managed to score a hit and destroy the tank. This unfortunately meant that I had lost 3 out of 4 units on the table plus my battalion commander, which meant that the morale of my army broke. I still had 3 / 7 units in reserve, but unfortunately I had wasted my men too fast in a poorly coordinated and unlucky assault.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhderTJ85sJYfnJjdVhoxdK8d47xvz6kR-_h_yJHr2I_YK8wtLeYTfg7Q67qM-yM5qvFnX5Ljf2qvUA-jMY7ETAVPhyphenhyphencEAzPv99sLTDNz26Ql3yw_q9pLjtmjxiuqlb9uZyxH5bNOe0P5I/s1600/IMG_4776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhderTJ85sJYfnJjdVhoxdK8d47xvz6kR-_h_yJHr2I_YK8wtLeYTfg7Q67qM-yM5qvFnX5Ljf2qvUA-jMY7ETAVPhyphenhyphencEAzPv99sLTDNz26Ql3yw_q9pLjtmjxiuqlb9uZyxH5bNOe0P5I/s320/IMG_4776.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captured panzers are knocked out by Finnish artillery</td></tr>
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<h4>
Game 2</h4>
The second game was "Breakthrough" against a German infantry company led by Major Kästner. The Kästner list is quite interesting. Historically, Kästner acted as the commander of the 105. Grenadier regiment (72nd Division) in its breakout from the Korsun pocket in the winter of 1944. This was a somewhat historical scenario, as my Forward Detachment had obviously raced ahead to close the line of retreat of Kästner's men. Faced with a double envelopment and certain destruction (strategically - not in this game), Kästner would have to lead his men in a night time effort to break out.<br />
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The deployment for this scenario can be seen below. The Germans had a whopping 7 infantry platoons (including pioneer and close-range anti-tank teams), which they deployed along the length of the table. The Germans also had a platoon of Stug assault guns and two 7.5cm Pak 97/38 anti-tank guns, deployed on their right and left flanks respectively.<br />
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I placed my Tank Rider company in foxholes to guard the vital crossroads (objective closest to the enemy) and my KV-85 tanks immediately behind them for support. My captured panzers were held in ambush and the rest of my force were held in reserve. The other objective was on a hill far to my rear and relatively safe from the enemy. The fight would be won or lost at the crossroads.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgkyueppUZjb35e2f-TzGRfA8vmf6WZoFVQ9RaNMqGzVKRuJGRMqXSeYCUdoIYOpPTofgsU9T-XmvCS1J0ScZCVid2NdAeTA8ND5yfQlB4o1S4BhyEQ9iWkjUNNX_25_R8xjPW3oKsko/s1600/IMG_4777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgkyueppUZjb35e2f-TzGRfA8vmf6WZoFVQ9RaNMqGzVKRuJGRMqXSeYCUdoIYOpPTofgsU9T-XmvCS1J0ScZCVid2NdAeTA8ND5yfQlB4o1S4BhyEQ9iWkjUNNX_25_R8xjPW3oKsko/s320/IMG_4777.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Battlefield viewed from behind the Russian right (this game is played along the length of the board)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOkZw1WutyWpQ29rf-hKGfRYqHCSowLXPbIpznAWQRO692B2toX7ICCicpIw6je9EpcF8ivTP9GXsD5tTOasAz4TxA5e9yAr_Pv-of0yHE4chfstEBXgARiBIP2Q8MsZOsW9GMwwRXnM/s1600/IMG_4778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOkZw1WutyWpQ29rf-hKGfRYqHCSowLXPbIpznAWQRO692B2toX7ICCicpIw6je9EpcF8ivTP9GXsD5tTOasAz4TxA5e9yAr_Pv-of0yHE4chfstEBXgARiBIP2Q8MsZOsW9GMwwRXnM/s320/IMG_4778.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">German infantry desperate to break out of the Korsun pocket</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iNO0anH-AEnEzLefRB5nOPeCn0TIetn1vlexzEjfNFUw0BSSH3jmnjaELXPLEznN3xwkhV1ne-8HfIJOCgSI7Q5cW4ZkdewvbijrRj6BxdI6h5V9ytox9Eojq7MimZ9hfGpFOZgERac/s1600/IMG_4779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iNO0anH-AEnEzLefRB5nOPeCn0TIetn1vlexzEjfNFUw0BSSH3jmnjaELXPLEznN3xwkhV1ne-8HfIJOCgSI7Q5cW4ZkdewvbijrRj6BxdI6h5V9ytox9Eojq7MimZ9hfGpFOZgERac/s320/IMG_4779.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strong Russian positions at the objective: dug-in infantry supported by heavy tanks</td></tr>
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The dawn attack begun with Kästner and a large platoon of pioneers plus a smaller reconnaissance platoon infiltrating forward on their centre and left. The rest of the army followed and soon the Germans were within striking distance of the front of the Russian positions. At this point, the Germans fully realized the strength of the Russian defensive position facing them. A frontal assault was doomed to fail as long as the KV-85s were in position. Kästner hurried his right wing forward so that they could envelop the weaker flank of the Russian position. As this manoeuvre was under way, Kästner's centre waited idly for the flank attack to begin. The KV-85's opened fire on the advancing Germans, knocking out one of the Stugs and destroying a small German machine gun platoon that had advanced carelessly.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLLOa1bZdLc2er8jNTIK8-SNSbz9rK2TSuA8j3GGnWlA1X-3irpeneiQmEusYk9KvYOCT9sDoq0USZaND1I4apeTgpuEKfb1SkBJdjFGMto5sgE5WP3IVCNtFouvlWYh9fShQH0TiTrI/s1600/IMG_4780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLLOa1bZdLc2er8jNTIK8-SNSbz9rK2TSuA8j3GGnWlA1X-3irpeneiQmEusYk9KvYOCT9sDoq0USZaND1I4apeTgpuEKfb1SkBJdjFGMto5sgE5WP3IVCNtFouvlWYh9fShQH0TiTrI/s320/IMG_4780.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Germans begin creeping forward</td></tr>
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The battle begun in earnest on turn 3. It was only at this point that the German flanking forces had got into positions. On the German right, two platoons were in position to assault the weaker Russian left and the Stugs had almost enveloped the KV-85's as well. On the German left, the German reconnaissance platoon had outflanked the Russians and was about to assault the captured Panzers, which had arrived from ambush on this flank.</div>
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Just when these assaults were about to start, dawn broke and two units of Russian reserves arrived! The T-34/85s arrived on the German right, where they easily knocked out the two outflanking Stugs that were no longer concealed by night and had their weak flanks exposed. On the German left, the mechanized Russian infantry platoon raced forward with machine guns blazing. This drove the German reconnaissance platoon to seek shelter in a forest to their rear.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrelCXwL2B3vfquXE0Oy0RsRxhfrdCdVWelwKc12HGQqG9FdIRL6cYbptu6yvtcRjGfKGFtD7DEto30ydSV_9-KaGplDlXgxAnHCeVe0-neuy3AqkfFZZP_SjTzIg45RygFFQNyge63Uo/s1600/IMG_4781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrelCXwL2B3vfquXE0Oy0RsRxhfrdCdVWelwKc12HGQqG9FdIRL6cYbptu6yvtcRjGfKGFtD7DEto30ydSV_9-KaGplDlXgxAnHCeVe0-neuy3AqkfFZZP_SjTzIg45RygFFQNyge63Uo/s320/IMG_4781.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Russian mechanized infantry (in captured German hanomags!) race forward to protect the threatened Russian right flank</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPW1I6eA8SLVopklhVArTa_KcDCmcAj3WaYOfxoQvAbcFvXUgZU8ZWeJpjK2h8vDG5Me05gMsY20pmq5ZAv-s7pkMl4WuZszdwOasuvOMyZoyc52_c21xXEBwPW5wDOhBJpkkk90ss2cQ/s1600/IMG_4782.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPW1I6eA8SLVopklhVArTa_KcDCmcAj3WaYOfxoQvAbcFvXUgZU8ZWeJpjK2h8vDG5Me05gMsY20pmq5ZAv-s7pkMl4WuZszdwOasuvOMyZoyc52_c21xXEBwPW5wDOhBJpkkk90ss2cQ/s320/IMG_4782.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A well-timed entrance by Russian T-34/85's leave the Stugs burning</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4MQJMJeM1eaaB5iinvesXBqdiJf5C7ftvsUKUjtpnasv7R5wDkYSe38Lv1JlS8I9BxsgYdp2QmhpQS4zSFyj0szleARsjRXHDHCYGEcWtN0QGv4TGyqBOko0CXvOizDhzTj6KLgN_hOQ/s1600/IMG_4783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4MQJMJeM1eaaB5iinvesXBqdiJf5C7ftvsUKUjtpnasv7R5wDkYSe38Lv1JlS8I9BxsgYdp2QmhpQS4zSFyj0szleARsjRXHDHCYGEcWtN0QGv4TGyqBOko0CXvOizDhzTj6KLgN_hOQ/s320/IMG_4783.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Positions before the Germans launch their assaults on both flanks and in the centre</td></tr>
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With daylight upon them and Russian reserves racing forward, the German situation had taken a decisive turn for the worse. However, there was little point in delaying further. Both German platoons on the right assaulted the Russian left and both were repulsed after bloody combat. The Russians took some losses, but this was little compared to the Germans, whose one platoon was routed and the other platoon soon after destroyed by machine gun fire by the advancing T-34/85 tanks on this flank.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqjcwqpabYPtp-DFLwj-Pp9EwKaw9xYcqVO_LJeK216jXRwVnHPBD2RJQnjPnl56_5FkrqeU4hU6Kdfeq1lEv_Sa0TLbwf-NcHiuSYey1f-tsVDmbdbwV7YnAoTQKq9iX-AA95WMKKJQ/s1600/IMG_4784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqjcwqpabYPtp-DFLwj-Pp9EwKaw9xYcqVO_LJeK216jXRwVnHPBD2RJQnjPnl56_5FkrqeU4hU6Kdfeq1lEv_Sa0TLbwf-NcHiuSYey1f-tsVDmbdbwV7YnAoTQKq9iX-AA95WMKKJQ/s320/IMG_4784.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Germans assaulting on the right</td></tr>
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In the centre, a brutal firefight erupted. The Russians moved forward to fire with SMGs and machine guns at the Germans caught in the open. This caused devastating losses on the Germans, who retaliated. German flamethrowers and SMGs eliminated the remnants of the Russian tank rider company. A successful German assault on their left managed to destroy the captured Tiger and drive the Panzer IV back.</div>
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However, there was little the Germans could do to prevent the inevitable. The Russian mechanized infantry platoon dismounted and moved to counter the Germans together with the SU-122 assault guns (which had arrived from reserve on the German left), the KV-85's (in the centre) and the T-34/85's (on the German right). Most of the remaining Germans were mowed down in several rounds of shooting (particularly the SU-122's proved lethal with their re-rolls to hit and breakthrough gun rules). Kästner led a final assault with the remnants, who routed after a short sharp fight with the Russians.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJfD4qI0cr2fbBvFZJCmLGwG9-WX6bvEBgnCSNc61PHrVh4hK7hHUayMe6UmFhOLtYNnomD-ANieUgQJI3kS3Vh2_Vfa9x7J73OzB3GWXH9qjKhHFu7VWIFKvePyPnADjrMdctzf29MQ/s1600/IMG_4785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJfD4qI0cr2fbBvFZJCmLGwG9-WX6bvEBgnCSNc61PHrVh4hK7hHUayMe6UmFhOLtYNnomD-ANieUgQJI3kS3Vh2_Vfa9x7J73OzB3GWXH9qjKhHFu7VWIFKvePyPnADjrMdctzf29MQ/s320/IMG_4785.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brutal firefight in the centre</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNWT5TSSlSHG05B4sEde0FwKbCYZiuMQj9tGi2-5P9oRvh8LFMHLGO6W4zLrwIV0ynDT3vLvcyZ3PcZv7EvGYvolzSKw-vD7CouPpV5pvyOVEQhUkeJ5_ll5hdIcAauWdan0j-U9J54W4/s1600/IMG_4786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNWT5TSSlSHG05B4sEde0FwKbCYZiuMQj9tGi2-5P9oRvh8LFMHLGO6W4zLrwIV0ynDT3vLvcyZ3PcZv7EvGYvolzSKw-vD7CouPpV5pvyOVEQhUkeJ5_ll5hdIcAauWdan0j-U9J54W4/s320/IMG_4786.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The German right flank is destroyed, but they succeed in launching an assault on their left (which is repulsed with a counter-attack)</td></tr>
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